The Guy Next Door
by undyingparticles
Summary: AU: Quinn was a career woman. It's not in her vocabulary getting married and have a family. She was happy with her life as a single, independent and carefree woman. Well, until she met her next door neighbor and Rachel's plans on "helping" her. It will definitely change her simple life.
1. I Need Vacation!

**A/N: **Hi ! Soooo, this is actually my first time writing so forgive me for all the mistakes and this is so totally AU and the characters are very OOC. Well, actually i just read this story and I started to write using Glee characters. Hope you like it (Please?)

**Disclaimer: **I do not own anything from this. I maybe edited some parts BUT it's still all not mine. Just for entertainment for my boring life :)

* * *

**Chapter 1 - I Need Vacation!**

Quinn winced at the sound of the elevator. She stopped from thinking for a lot of things that she'll do for that day. Because there are piles of work that are waiting for her, she stepped out of the elevator in a hurry. She was just on the hallway when her secretary Chloe meets her.

"Ma'am, Mr. Charlie Jensen keeps on calling you. He said he have very important things to discuss with you about the investment profile that you sent to him," she said. "And then your two o' clock meeting with Mr. Conroy had been moved to nine o' clock. He needs to fly back to Zurich soon. But before he leaves, he wants to hear your inputs."

She steadied her eyes for a bit. Charlie Jensen always has an important thing to discuss but mostly is just non-sense things. She just can't reject him because he was a sustained client from the investment company that she's working at.

She's a financial analyst and a darn good one, in her own opinion. It is proven by her great salary and her rapidly increasing position. And then there were generous gifts that grateful clients gave her. It was a thank you from her investment recommendations that were popular and brought great money for them.

While she's walking towards her office, Chloe is following her, telling her one-by-one the list of things that needed her attention. She might seem lost in thought but she was able to follow what her secretary was saying. She's also prioritizing in her mind the things she needed to do that morning.

"Thanks, Chloe," she said. Then she stepped inside her office and closed the door. She heaved a sigh as she leaned against the closed door. She's like that every morning. When she got to work, she felt like she walked to the center of a whirlwind. It's frustrating sometimes. But she admits that she enjoys her job. The money was good and she loved the challenge of analyzing facts and figures that would result in big profits for her client or maybe minimize the client's loss resulting from a previous bad investment. But that morning, there was no time to feel good about her achievements. There are piles of works on her desk fighting for her attention.

She finally walked to her big desk. She laid there her notebook computer that she brought. She turned it on and went to the file she did last night. It is an investment portfolio that she made for another valued client. She reviewed all the data that she entered then she connected to Internet, and then send the document to the e-mail address of her client. Mr. Palafox was expecting that document ASAP. He's been asking for it from her the other day. She felt relieved when she finally sent it.

But there were still a hundred and one things needing her attention. The phone rings on her desk. It was her direct line.

"Hey, don't forget our lunch later," said on the other line.

She recognized Santana's voice immediately. She's always with her to their hang-outs. "I'm not sure I'd make it. I'm swamped."

Santana clacked her tongue as a response. "You're making yourself richer," she said.

"Where else should we lean one now besides money?"

"You said it, girl," she agreed. "Anyway, too bad about lunch. But if you have time after work, Brittany and I plan to go to a bar, just to unwind. It's Friday anyway. Not that you probably noticed."

"Tell me about it. I don't even know what day is it today. But hey, I'm about to take a vacation. If I can tie up all the loose ends at work, maybe I can come with you."

"Vacation? Did you say vacation?" she was shocked about what she just said. For almost six years of her working at Invest Inc., she never even took a vacation.

"I have accumulated lots of vacation time. It'll be waste if I didn't avail it. I can't even convert it to monetary compensation. Actually, I filed a vacation leave already. But things keep coming up so it's always been postponed."

Santana laughed. "If there's anything I learned, things will keep coming up."

"I know. That's why this time; I'm putting my feet down. If I finished all the works that I need to finish today, they can't stop me. I'm off to some exotic beach the day after tomorrow."

"Good luck. And see you later."

"Maybe. Bye." She didn't waste any important seconds because while she was speaking to Santana, she's reviewing the investment profile that Charlie Jensen. After hanging up, she went back to her laptop. She's already typing when the intercom rang.

"Ma'am, I just want to remind you about your ten o'clock meeting," said Chloe.

"Yeah, thanks, Chloe. I'll be right out. Please tell the driver to get the car ready. I'll be down in five." She finished her work quickly then turned off the laptop and closed it. She walks towards the elevator carrying it.

The elevator went straight down the parking level where all the service vehicles of the company parked. She had her own car but when she attended to meetings that were held near the office, she preferred using the vehicle assigned to her. That way, she can work while on the road especially when there is a heavy traffic. She can finish a lot of work while she's in the car.

But that time around, she didn't feel like working. Instead, she stole the opportunity to just relax. She leaned on the seat and closed her eyes.

She had come a long way, she knew that, and she was also thankful. She came from a middle-class family. Both of her parents are working so she and her younger sibling can have a good future.

She studied at a good university also because of the scholarship she received. She worked immediately at a big bank after she graduated. She worked there for almost two years before she transferred to Invest Inc. She started out as a junior analyst and quickly rose from the ranks. Now, she was currently one of the upcoming executives of the company.

She was satisfied with her life. If there's something to be sad about, that's her broken family. Her parents were separated when she was in her final year in college. Based on what her mother said, her father had another family. Her mother was not willing to share him with the other family. So she made him choose. Unfortunately, her daddy chose the new family.

At first, he was visiting them a lot, especially during the special occasions that are important to her and her brother, Jason. But slowly, the visits became less frequent. About two years ago, her father and his second family migrated to Australia. She never saw him again after.

Her mother didn't plan on marrying again. But when she attended a conference, she met a British man. The two hit it off right and after about a year of conducting a long-distance love affair, Julian Montgomery flew to the Philippines and stayed for about six months. During that time, her mother was always with the man.

Though she and her brother are not in favour about their mother remarrying, they didn't tell her about it. Their mother deserved another chance of happiness after all. Now her mother is living in England for two years. She visited them almost six months ago and she looked very happy, so happy that she found herself envying her.

Jason, on the other hand, is working in a drilling company in Canada for almost four months now. He graduated with a Mechanical Engineering degree. He was part of a team that rehabilitate dams and hydroelectric plants in the country for how many years and base on their last conversation over the phone; she thinks that he's enjoying his job out there. It seemed all the members of her family were leading satisfying lives though they're separated from each other.

She sighed. She then verified the saying, "You can't have everything." Maybe she should just be contented on all the blessings that she received. She knew that other people were not as lucky as she was.

"Unlucky in love, lucky in her career." That is the fit description for her.

There was once a time when she loved deeply. She and Puck were already planning on getting married before. But one morning, her mother just found him dead. The autopsy revealed that he died of a heart attack. His family unaware that their son had a congenital heart defect. It was like a time bomb that was ticking away without their knowledge.

She was devastated by the death of the person she love with her whole heart. She was really thankful that she had this job that time. She used it as a barrier from the depression that always ready to engulf her. She poured all her attention on her work. That maybe was a reason that her performance in her work is great. Until her job became her crutch. That's where she found satisfaction.

She didn't swear that she will not fall in love again though. But she admits that she's not giving priority when it comes to her love life. It's like she's avoiding to be attracted to the guys that she encountered sometimes.

"Ma'am ...?"

She blinked when she heard the voice of the company driver. She collected all her things then stepped out of the car.

* * *

"Where are you off to?"

"What?" Quinn asked.

"I said, where are you off to?" Sugar asked, a girl who she's with at the table. She needed to shout because of the loud music at the bar that they're into.

"I'm not yet sure," she said. "But the important thing is, I can have a leave at last. I'll just plan my itinerary tomorrow."

"I bet tomorrow afternoon, you'll be back at work," Tina said. "You're just like me. You get bored so easily."

"But unlike you, Quinn knows how to get a life," Santana said to Tina.

"As if you have a life, too," Tina retaliates.

She just shook her head. Sometimes she asked herself if they treat themselves as friends. She felt like she didn't know if her friends really care about her or she care about them.

Like her, this group of women was all career-oriented. Only one of them have child – Mercedes. But she's separated from her husband. Her baby has a baby-sitter so she can join them to their night outs.

Her group had not exactly turned their back on men. Some of them have affairs. But nobody in their group plans to settle. It will be just a distraction from their careers.

_"We need men but not as husbands."_

It was always said by her friends until she started to believe to it.

"Maybe I'll go to the beach," she said. "I'll lie in a hammock, soak up the sun and do nothing but sleep."

"The beaches are deserted at this time of the year. You may experience storms out there." Sugar reminded her. "Why not go to Hong Kong instead and indulge yourself with a shopping spree?"

"I'd been there a couple of times," she answered.

"As a part of your job, not on a vacation."

"I'd already done that. Anyway, I'll just think what I'll do to my vacation time tomorrow. The good thing about going on a vacation is that I can stay up all night if I want to."

"I envy you right now," said Mercedes.

"Then take vacation, too," said Tina.

"I wish! I already spent my vacation leave taking care of Shane when he had a chicken pox." She said worrying.

"That sucks!" Santana commented. "That's the problem on having kids. Kids have a tendency to disrupt your plans."

"That's true," Mercedes agreed.

"That's why I have no intention of having kids," Brittany said.

"Same here," Santana second it.

"I think I'm joining your association, too." Quinn said. She couldn't imagine herself taking care of children. Aside from not having any interests on it, she knows how difficult taking care of one. Her best friend Rachel has been married for how many years since Rachel was in college. She already has two kids. Every time she went to her house, she witnesses how she was being harassed by them. One of the reasons why she's joining another group is because Rachel doesn't have time to get out. She's also a working mother so she's always have no time.

She felt it was not the kind of life she wanted. She likes being free more, not her plans being stuck with other's life.

"I'll toast to that!" Tina raised her glass of a ladies' exotic drink.

"Cheers!" she joins them.

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**Tell me what you think. Should I continue this or not ? **

**Thanks for reading though ! :D**


	2. Nikki

**A/N: **Okay so I'm posting this one early so you'll understand the story better (well, i think). So here it is. I'm putting Faberry friendship in here. They're gonna be bestfriends in here so I hope it's okay. Enjoy !

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything from here. Just for entertainment.

* * *

Quinn grunted. Her head is sure as hell aching. If it's because of drinking too much last night or because she fell asleep at almost midnight, she doesn't know. She turned over and after grabbing a pillow, she placed it over her head. Maybe it's because of their conversation last night was about kids that's why it mixes to her dream.

Well, come to think of it, she was not dreaming about a baby. In her dream, she was in beautiful beach. She could feel the breeze caressing her cheek as the cool water of the sea lapped at her feet. But her dream was distracted from loud cries of a baby. That's the reason why she was horribly awakened.

She looked around her darkened bedroom. She has no idea if the sun already rises because of her thick curtains covering her windows. Even if it was already twelve noon, it seemed like dawn hadn't broken yet in her room. She listened earnestly. Aside from the buzzing of her AC, she doesn't hear anything else. So she turned over and placed a pillow over her head. She was beginning to fell asleep again; the sound of a baby crying started to reverberate again.

She threw her pillow, and then sat up to her bed. That time, she couldn't be wrong. The crying baby was not part of her dream. It was part of the reality. And by the way it sounded; it seemed to be coming just outside her bedroom door. But how can there be a baby in her home?

She's renting a apartment. She doesn't even need to rent a house because her parents left their house for her in Columbus. But it was far and she was getting tired of the long trip. Meanwhile, her apartment is only in Lima. It was very close to her office.

For her convenience, she decided to rent for the meantime. It is also included in the compensation package of her company to subsidize the rent to her apartment. She chose to live in an apartment because she feels that the security is better.

There are also families living on that apartment tower but mostly of the tenants are single like her who are professionals and are working in commercial districts. The floor where her apartment's at are only five units are occupied. And based on her memory, there's no one have a baby that is living on that floor.

But even if how she hears it, it is still a baby crying. She forced herself out of bed and out of her bedroom. She immediately covered her hand to her eyes when she reached the living room. The floor-to-ceiling curtains are all opened that's why her living room are covered with bright light. Because of her blindness from the sudden light, she didn't notice the baby carrier that is lying on the carpeted floor. She just glanced on it when she heard the high-pitched cries again.

"What the hell ..." Before she even continues what she's saying, the door opens.

"Did I wake you? Sorry, I didn't mean it," the person said then entered her apartment.

She blinked many times before she rubbed her eyes. She made sure she's not hallucinating at all. But it was surely Rachel who entered her door. She's carrying a folded playpen and there's a pink and yellow bag on her other shoulder.

"I'm sorry if I enter without any permission from you. You gave me a spare key, remember? You said I should use it if anytime I needed help. Well, I needed it."

She stayed still staring at her. Her mind might have been left in her bed sleeping because she can't really process any information. She can't even understand why her best friend is there carrying baby paraphernalia.

"Your guard let me in. He knows that we're best friends," she continued.

"All of this is not making any sense to me." She finally formed a sentence. But before Rachel answered her, they were interrupted by a loud cry.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, baby." Rachel passed her, and then knelt beside the baby carrier that is lying on the floor. "Are you hungry? Or are you soaking wet?"

She sees her running her hands to the front of the baby.

"Yikes! You're soaked. That's why you're so miserable. And I'm sure you're also hungry."

The baby grunted. She kicked her tiny feet at the air. She also continued to chew her tiny hands.

"Wait for a while, okay?" Rachel put the bag that she's carrying down then started to search for something. She put out one disposable diaper and a bottle containing milk. She feed the milk to the baby while the baby seems like excited for it. Rachel takes off the diaper while the baby is busy.

She winced at the smelly diaper. Fortunately Rachel seems like a pro when she's doing it. She folded the dirty diaper and after wiping the butt of the baby, she put her on a clean diaper.

"What is going on here?" She remembered to inquire her about it.

"Oh!" Rachel looked up at her. It's like she forgot she was there.

"I'm sure that baby is not yours. I know for a fact that your youngest is three years old. I also didn't see you got pregnant unless she appeared in your belly like a mushroom. I'm sure you and Finn are not her parents."

Rachel laughs. "You're right. Me and Finn are not Nikki's parents," she said as she brush her hand to Nikki's thin hair.

"I'm also pretty sure that you didn't leave Finn because if you do, you will bring Micah and Chris with you."

"Are you insane? Why would I leave Finn? I will ever not find anyone like him so I will never let him go."

"Then I have no idea why you're here with that baby."

"Have you forgotten that I'm a social worker?"

"What has that got to do with it?"

"I'm sure I mentioned to you that part of my job was to put abandoned children that was brought in our agency into foster care, right?"

"Yeah, I remember that," Quinn said.

"Well, I will put Nikki into foster care."

"You mean, she's an abandoned baby?" It's like she can't believed that. The baby looked healthy and well-cared for, besides her cuteness. It had chubby cheeks and its eyes had long, dark eyelashes.

"You could say that."

"Her parents must be like soulless a person, that's for sure."

"My sentiments exactly."

"But I still don't understand why you two are here."

"It's simple. I need a really huge favour."

"Oh, no!" She already guessed what she's about to say. "No, no, no, no, no. There's no way on earth you can leave that baby here, not even for just an hour. Heck, not even for a minute," she rigidly declined.

"Quinn, I have not other person to urge to," she reasoned.

"Don't you have volunteers that are acts as foster parents? And I also know that a person can't just be a foster parent. The person should be under training and also have certification. I don't have any of that."

"All of our volunteers are loaded. One of the volunteers is going to labour any day now. Her husband will just leave their children to their in-laws so he can take care of her at the hospital. I can't leave Nikki there with their other children to their in-laws. The other one has gone out of country."

"What about you?" she knew that Rachel had taken care of a child before.

"I would if I could. But Chris has a chicken pox right now. You know that disease is popular at this kind of weather. I think he got infected by one of his playmates. I can't bring Nikki home because she might get infected. I even disinfected myself before I went to the shelter so that I won't infect the babies there."

"Rachel, you're my friend and you know I will do anything that you ask. But this is way out of my league. I don't even know how to take care of a baby. I also don't have any interest in doing it and – "

"That's one of the reasons why I want you to take care of Nikki. I am risking my license in bringing her here, you know. You mentioned that not just anyone can be a foster parent. There's training blah, blah, blah. But I am laying down my neck on the chopping board because I want to help you."

"Help me?" she almost laughs at her. "I don't need any help. Not right now, at least."

"That's what you think."

"What?"

"Look Quinn, I just want you to realize what you're missing. Before it's too late," she said.

"And what exactly am I missing?" she asked confusedly.

"The joys, happiness and fulfilment that having a family brings."

That's when she laughs.

"You can laugh all you want but I assure you, this is a very serious matter."

"It's not because you found happiness in being married that you can guarantee that all of the people will have the same," she whims. "Just look at the statistics. Now and then you'll hear that there are married couple out there that are separating. Not everyone is destined to be as blissful in their married life as you are."

"I know that. The thing is, you are rejecting something you haven't even tried yet."

"You want me to try marrying and have a baby, and then if I don't like it, I will just leave my husband and child?"

"That's not what I meant. Pardon me for saying this but I feel that as your closest, dearest friend, I am entitled to voice out my opinion. You are running away from love."

"Are you high?" Quinn asked. "I can't follow anything you're saying."

"Quinn, I know how it hurts what happened with you and Noah. But it's not a reason for you to turn your back away from love or avoids the possibilities that are coming to your life."

"And a baby will bring me a man in my life? I really don't get what you're saying."

"I want you to experience the fulfilment that a mother feels. Being a mother is a difficult and sometimes thankless job, I can attest to that. But believe it or not, it also has its moments. That's what I want you to experience. When you're experiencing that and you feel that you don't like to have the life of being a wife, then don't. At least you saw both sides of the coin. Not the bad aspects of being a mother and wife you're only seeing."

"And where do I get a trial husband?"

"There, I can't help you. It's hard to find a guy like that," she said. "But please, my friend, think hard before you reject my suggestion. We often speak to each other now, and it's my fault sometimes, but there are times that I can feel your sadness. I know there are women that are not really fit to be a mother. But I know you are not one of those women. That's why I'm giving you a chance to try if you feel you don't really like to be a mother. I told you, what I'm doing with Nikki is highly irregular. So I hope, if you get really pissed at her, don't let the agency know about her. I could lose my job, you know."

"Rachel, I don't think I'm the right person to be looking after that baby," she forcefully said to her. Just the thought of being left alone with a helpless being made her break out in cold sweat. "What if something happened to her? What if I killed her?"

"You're overreacting. You're under-estimating yourself too much. Of course, you won't manage to kill the baby. You have common sense."

"Common sense, my ass! When it comes to taking care of a baby, I don't have any of that, even a little. So if you want goodness for that baby, I suggest you take it with you and find another foster parent."

"Her," she said.

"Huh?"

"The baby is a girl. You called her _it_."

"Whatever." She shrugged.

"Quinn, you're just taking care of her for a while. We have another foster parent that we're taking a child from her custody. Maybe after a week, I can get Nikki. In the meantime, think of it as a challenge, a learning experience."

"But I have a job and – "

"And you just said to your text to me yesterday that finally, you'll have a vacation."

"I was planning to go to a lovely beach. You know some place that can be considered paradise on earth. But from the looks of it, I will fall to hell."

She glanced at Nikki. Now that she was fed and changed into a new diaper, she's like contented in her life. She's kicking her chubby feet in the air and uttering some terms that she can't understand.

"I don't have a clue on how to take care of a baby."

"I put a book about child care in her things. I used that when I was just starting out. It's easy to understand."

"But, Rachel ..."

"You might realize this is the closest thing to heaven that you can get."

"Hey, wait!" She panicked when Rachel stood.

"You can thank me later," Rachel said then hurriedly went to the door.

"Rachel, come back here."

But Rachel answered her by the closing of the door.

* * *

**A/N:** So, I guess Quinn's vacation is ruined haha. Okay so maybe I'll update this as soon as I can. I promise. I'll really appreciate it if you'll review .. Thanks ! :D


	3. Knock! Knock!

**A/N: **So Quinn is surely stuck with Nikki now and she's like freaking out. The good thing about it, someone will save her. So chapter 3 is up now so go ahead and enjoy. :D .. Just please do review and I will totally love you !

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything from this story. I might done some edit but it's still not mine. It's purely for fun and entertainment.

* * *

As though sensing that she had been abandoned, Nikki stopped kicking and cooing. Her chest started to rise and fall fast and her face crumpled.

"Oh, no! Don't you dare." Quinn already guessed that she might cry. And if there was one thing she hated, it was a wailing baby. But what is Nikki know about it? And she likely didn't even care about Quinn's feelings right now. She winced and then started to cry highly. That's the type of cry that would seem to break her eardrums. She quickly went to her. She kneeled beside the baby carrier then patted her thigh.

"Don't cry. Sshh... Stop crying. Oh, look at the bird. There it is, flying! Okay, I'll sing for you. Lullaby and goodnight. The angels are watching ... baby, baby, peek-a-boo!" She frantically made funny faces at the baby. But anything she did has no effect. She just continues on crying.

"What is your problem?" she quickly carried it upside-down. _I hate babies. I swear I will never have one of my own_, she muttered to herself. "Whatever. Cry until choke." She crossed her arms to her chest and stared at her. The baby's face was flushed from crying. She was also sweating already. Most of all, she felt like she's starting to get irritated at her high voice.

"You know what? You would make a good singer," she said. "But please, don't run your lung power to me right now. You're making my head ache more." But anything she said to her, her cry is just got louder and louder. She even thought that she might expire.

She can't endure her loud cries anymore. She bends down, takes her out of the carrier, and then lifted her up. Her feet were hanging in the air while she carried her by her armpits. Likely, she might not be comfortable in her position. She started kicking again and cries louder again.

"Baby, stop it, please?" she pleaded. She glanced at the phone. After she carried Nikki right, she went for it. She planned on calling Rachel and gets her back to her apartment. She's sure that when Rachel hears Nikki's cry, she'll believe that she can't really take care of a baby. But when she already got the receiver, she remembered that she's not memorized at Rachel's number.

"Damn!" She entered her bedroom. She searched her bag. She used her phone to call Rachel.

"Hi, this is Rachel. Sorry I can't come to the phone right now. Please leave a message and I'll call you as soon as I can. Thanks!" her voicemail is the one who answered her.

"Son of a – "she called her from her house. Whoever she speak to, she'll just leave a message for her.

"Hello. You have reached Hudson's residence ..."

She doesn't know if faith is playing in her right now or Rachel intend to turn off all of her communication lines so she can't contact her. Whatever the reason, it was making her life miserable. And it seems that the baby left to her is also miserable. She still continues on crying and kicking.

She went back to the living room. She put the baby down on the carpet before she searched the bag that Rachel left for her. Rachel mentioned something about a book on child care. She desperately needed that book.

She found it quickly and she searched the table of contents immediately until she found the page that talk about the crying of babies. She throws the book after a minute. She tried all the suggestions written in that chapter but Nikki's cries became louder and more frantic.

After awhile, she heard a knock on her door or most likely a slamming at her door.

"What kind of knock is that?" her head started to boil all of a sudden. She carried Nikki and as if she's dashing into a war, she went to the door and she roughly opened it. "That's not how to break a door, you know? Use a mace!" she said sarcastically as she opened the door for the person outside.

"I was knocking for about ten minutes but it seems like you can't hear it," said the guy who she opened the door for.

"What is this important thing that you want? As you can see, this is not a good time."

"That's really the reason why I came here. I just moved in next door and try as I might, I just couldn't ignore the cries I'm hearing. Can't you even make that baby stop?"

Her blood simmered more because of him.

"What do you think I'm trying to do here right now? I'm not that sadistic to even enjoy to make Nikki cry all day." She glared at him.

"Well, whatever you're doing, it doesn't seem to be working."

"As if I need to be told that. Maybe, you're greater in making this baby stop from crying. Here." She thrust the crying baby at him. She didn't even let the guy protest. When the guy constrained holding the child, she forsaken him. "I'm going to take a shower. Enjoy," she said as she walk towards her room. She shut the door of her room and locked it. _Let's see how you handle that_, she muttered to herself, and then entered her bathroom.

She took a long, leisurely shower. It's a great relief for her as the warm water pours to her body and it seems like it's taking away all the tiredness she felt inside her body. After she showered, she put on some clothes and dried her hair by the hairdryer even if she can just let it dry by itself. She planned on lasting longer before she went out of her room.

Her hair was almost dry when she noticed something. She can't hear anything from outside. Two reasons popped into her head, both of it were ghastly. If the guy didn't kill Nikki, he might kidnap her. Nikki might not have any relations to her but she's not a cold-hearted person that she'll just ignore Nikki's fate or her destined fate. At the very least, she should be able to return the baby in a good health to her bestfriend.

She dropped her hairbrush and she went out of her room quickly. She was met by an amazing sight. The guy was sitting on the armchair and Nikki's head was leaning on his shoulder.

She hurriedly went to him. "What did you do to her?"She asked.

"Sshh." The guy placed his finger in front of his mouth. "Not so loud. I just got her to sleep."

"You got her to sleep?" she didn't know what magic he used to her.

"It's no big deal. She's tired that's why she's been crying."

"How did you know that? Do you have a child?" She looked at him. Maybe she's angry earlier that's why she didn't notice his looks. He was quite good-looking, she realized that now. It looks like he's a six-footer. His body is fit, if she's basing his muscles that is fitting to his shirt, even his arms that was exposed in her sight, it seems like he always go to the gym.

He was dressed only in his jammies. He really looks like he just got out of bed. But even if he looks like that, he will still be noticed by other women. He had this presence that was very difficult to ignore. Because he looks like a big guy, Nikki seems like a very small and delicate to his body. But it shows that he's very careful not to harm the kid that he's holding.

"I'm just used in taking care of a baby," he said as his answer to her question.

She's not satisfied at his answer. She wanted to inquire him more if he has a wife and a kid that's why he's good at taking care at babies. But she also thought at what she cares about his civil status.

"That makes one of us. Me, I don't have the faintest idea on how to take care of a baby. If it wasn't for my friend, that child won't be left here," she said. She also told him what Rachel did.

"You really don't know how?" he seems surprised.

She shook her head.

"Isn't it about time you learn? I mean, what if you suddenly got married?"

"That's just it. I have no intention of getting married. I like my life the way it is now. I'm enjoying my work now and I want to get far from my career."

"Are you a man-hater?"

"Not really. In fact, I kinda like men." She intended on saying it naughtily. "But not for marriage purposes. Maybe I'm not like a domestic type of woman."

"And what are you planning to do for the rest of your life then?" there is a challenge on his voice.

"Anything I want. The world has new trend now. Not all women dream of hooking a guy, settling down with him and taking care of his children till kingdom come."

"Ah, a feminist," the guy said.

"No, just a woman who knows what she wants."

"But how about this baby?" he patted Nikki.

"I'll just return her to Rachel. She'll just ... oh, damn!"

"What?"

"I just remembered, Rachel can't even take Nikki at home. Her son has a chicken pox and Nikki might get infected."

"Maybe you should at least try to take care of this baby. It sounds as if your friend needs your help, you know."

"You saw what happened earlier. Her vocal chords almost ruptured because of her crying and I can't make her stop."

"Do you usually give up so easily?" there is a challenge in his voice again.

"Of course not. It's just that ..."she sighed. "I don't like babies, okay? I don't have a maternal instinct even a little. To me, babies are messy and noisy and they demand a lot of attention."

"They can also be sweet and cuddly." There was tenderness in his voice when he said the words.

"If you know how to manage them."

"And you think there is a person when he stepped out of the world, he knows how to do everything?"

"Of course not. But – "

"There is nothing you can't do when you practice, right?"

"I'm there but – "

"And you think you have this amount of knowledge to even learn how to take care of a baby?"

"If I want to, yes. But the thing is – "

"You are rejecting something you haven't even sampled. What if you discover some happiness that you'll get in taking care of one."

"I doubt it."

"But does the possibility exist?"

"Anything is possible."

"So, there you go." He stood and passed the sleeping baby to her.

She reluctantly takes her. Awhile ago, she's decided to give Nikki back to Rachel. But now, she felt challenged to what the guy just said to her.

"Oh, well, I can always hire a nurse or a nanny for her." She took the baby, and then sighed.

"Ah, but that would be cheating. When the time comes, you can't frankly say to yourself that you tried being a mother but you didn't do and like it.

"Are you always this pesky?" she said having an irritated voice.

"Only when I want to."

"Well, not only my eardrums will get beaten up if I force myself to take care of this child. You live next door, remember?"

"I can always wear earplugs." He shut up for a moment; he just looked at her for awhile. "Hey, I live next door, remember? And I know how to handle babies. If you can control your urge to cheat and not hire a nurse for the baby, you can always ask me for advice."

"And what if you're not home? I presume you work."

"Lucky for you, I work from the house. I go out every once and a while but I'm always work at home. Oh, by the way, Mike is my name. Mike Chang."

"Quinn Fabray." She took his hand that is laid to her. His hand felt warm. It felt like it has electricity. It may be even passed into her body. And to her dismay, she found herself unwilling to let go of his hand. If she didn't force herself, she might not even let his hand go.

"I'll be seeing you, Miss Fabray," he said.

"Yeah. And thanks."

He headed for her door. But before he finally stepped out, he looked back at her. He winked at her directly then turned back and continues to step out.

She suddenly felt breathless. She can't understand why. _It's certainly not because of him_, she convinced herself.

The child in her arms stirred. Before the baby entirely woke up, she carried her to a place she can put her down. She laid the child on the carpet. When she's about to stand, she then found the playpen that is leaning on the wall. She remembered that it was the one that Rachel brought when she saw her arrived. She decided to tried to set it up so she can have a place to put Nikki down.

She's not going to have difficulty in setting it up. She laid the blankets right on the playpen that is described accordingly on the child care book when she heard Nikki grunt. She held her breath when she glanced at the baby and saw that her eyes were open. Her expectations didn't fail her. After Nikki glanced at her, one loud cry was released from Nikki.

She gingerly picked up the baby. She mimicked the way Mike carried her earlier, not like the one she did when she carried her from her armpits and let her body hung on the air. The child didn't stop wailing but neither did its crying increase in intensity.

She swayed her. Where she got that idea, she didn't know. Her body just moved on its own. She sobered a little. Her cries lowered until she's just sobbing.

"That's a good girl," she said. _Hey, it seems there's nothing to this child care bit._

She said that to herself when suddenly Nikki's face crumpled again then started crying again. And that time around, nothing she did worked. In desperation, she dances her, in full-force, but she was maybe like shook too hard that she choked and puked at her.

"Oh, gross!" If she can just throw that baby, she already did it. The vomit Nikki puked out smells sourly that even she might throw up. But the good thing was, the baby stopped crying. She remembered a paragraph that her eyes passed from the book she read earlier. Maybe Nikki was troubling in gas pain that's why it won't stop crying. She probably felt relief that she stop from crying. The only problem is, they both smells bad.

* * *

**A/N:** So we finally met Mike. Yay ! XD. We'll get to know more about him soon. Reviews are totally cool and appreciated. :D


	4. Child Care 101

**A/N: **So Quinn is still getting used of having a baby at her life so she's still not good at it and Mike told her that she can always come to him for advice, strike that, Mike will be the one coming to her if she needs help and to what I'm seeing, she really did :P

So Chapter 4 is now up. Please Read and Review and I'll love you XD. Enjoy !

**Disclaimer: **Quinn, Mike and all of the character that you know is property of Glee and Fox. The other parts are property of someone also so, all of this are bot mine. Well, maybe some parts of it. This is for fun and entertainment. :D

* * *

"Time for a bath," Quinn said. But how can she bathe a baby? She still carries Nikki, read the chapter in the book that tackles about bathing a baby. She understood the words but somehow, she didn't know how to put them into action.

Jeez! Millions of women had given baths to their babies. There are women who didn't get to study but they still able to bathe their babies.

_You don't need to have the IQ of Einstein to be able to give a child a bath._

She doesn't have a baby bathtub but she has a shower stall. There is hot and cold water that goes out of the shower so she can put Nikki in there. She didn't intend to give the child a real bath. She's okay with just removing the awful smell that cause by her vomit earlier. She's going to bathe her right tomorrow.

She stripped the child, not an easy thing to do because Nikki writhed, wriggled and screamed as she was undressing her. And then, holding her in her arms, she went into the shower. She took her away from her and then turned the knob of the shower on.

The instant water blasted out of the shower head, Nikki screamed and bucked in her arms. She may be got scared when she was hit by the water that's why she panicked. She was forced to hold her so she'll not slip out. But because of what she did, she got wet really bad.

"So much for giving her a bath." She clacked her tongue. The child, dripping wet, was still kicking and screaming. That's when she found out how slippery a baby is when naked and wet.

"It's for a moment, baby." She put her again in the shower. She started to get hysteric again. She really may be scared on how strong the water hit her. She bucked in her arms again. To her loud cries, she thought that it was heard over the whole building.

"Are you killing her right now?"

The familiar voice was a welcome sound to her ears. But she was surprised at the angry face that she saw in Mike's face when she looked at him. He roughly took the baby from her arms.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

"She vomited. I was just going to bathe her."

"Bathe her... And you think that's the right way to do that? To put her in the shower?"

"Well, how am I supposed to know that? I told you, I know nothing about babies."

"And I told you, there's nothing you cannot learn. It is important to learn first how to do the right way before you even dared to put that into action."

She doesn't understand why he is so mad at her. It was not as if she tried to drown the baby.

Nikki was dripping wet when her head was dipped into Mike's chest. Her thumb was in her mouth, sucking it.

"I give up, okay?" she doesn't know why but she really feels like crying. "I told you I don't like babies. I told Rachel that, too, but would anyone listen? No. You all pushed me that I will like all of this."

Mike took a deep breath. "I guess your friend was unfair to you. Even I was like that. If you don't like babies, you don't like babies. I'll just take this one home with me."

"Take her home? Wait, you have no relation to her. Rachel will be in so much trouble to her boss if she found out what she did." She stopped him when he was leaving.

"I'm just next door. You just go there if you're friend is ready to take the baby."

"I-I couldn't impose on you like that."

"It's not an imposition believe me. Unlike you, I love babies."

"What if... what if you help me this first day? I maybe just need to learn some techniques on child care."

He stared at her for a moment. "Are you sure?"

"I-I want to try. You're right. I-I'm not determined to learn. I guess I was trying to prove to myself that I'm not really cut out for motherhood."

"This one is already getting cold. Time for lesson number one." Instead of taking her to the bathroom, he went to the kitchen. He let the baby sit on the kitchen sink after he cleaned her. "You would usually need a tub but for a baby that can already sit like Nikki, you can just bathe her to the kitchen sink. Can you get a towel? If you can find soap in her bag, kindly get it, too."

She returned to the living room, she rummaged in the bag. She didn't only find soap, even the shampoo, lotion, powder, cologne and anything else in the bag. She took out the shampoo and soap first. She went back to the kitchen and she put it down near the sink.

She watched as Mike expertly bathed the child. She saw how he carefully cleanse the baby after he use the soap and how he blocked his hand to Nikki's eyes when he pour the water down to her head.

"This is to avoid getting shampoo in her eyes. The baby shampoo doesn't really hurt the eyes because it only has mild formulation than the adult shampoo. But even water can also hurt the eyes of babies sometimes," he explained.

Nikki looks contented in what Mike is doing. She even plays in the water while he bathes her.

"Hand me that towel," he said to her when he glanced at her.

She obeyed.

He covered the baby with the towel once he got it. "Where do you want to dress her up?" he asked.

"The bedroom is fine."

"You just follow us with the bag. I'm sure all of her clothes are in there."

She grabbed the bag first in the living room before she went to the bedroom. She found Mike already finishing in drying the baby. Without being asked, she handed the baby lotion, powder and cologne to him.

"Kindly look if there is cotton buds and baby oil in there."

When she searched in the bag again, she found what he's looking for. She watched as he carefully cleaned both ears of the baby using the cotton buds that was soaked with a little amount of baby oil. She watched as he gently wiped lotion all over the child's body. When he was doing that, she imagined the hands running in the baby's body was on hers. She quickly got embarrassed at the thought. Is it right to imagine that featuring the guy who she doesn't know that well?

He put a new diaper and clothed the baby quickly. "There, you smell good now," he said to Nikki. He even kissed the baby before he take her from the bed and pass it to Quinn.

"T-thanks," she said as she mildly stuttered. Maybe it was because of the image that was playing in her mind right now.

"She'll be okay for about a couple of hours. But you should get ready with her formula because she'll get hungry soon enough."

"Formula?" she asked him confused.

"Her feeding bottle."

"H-how can I know the blend of that?"

"You just... never mind. I'll take care of that for now. Just watch and learn."

That's what she did. She learned that there is something written in the can of powdered milk, an instruction to how much the water and milk should she put on the feeding bottle. "I think it'll easier if she just breast-fed," she exclaimed.

She didn't know if he did it on purpose or it's just the instinct that he stared at her chest when she said that. It was for a moment only but she was surprised at the effect of it to her.

_Are you sex-deprived that a simple glance from a man can make you feel that way? _She rebuked herself.

_Maybe I am..._

Unlike her friends, she didn't sleep around. All she did was flirt with a guy if she found him appealing. If the guy bites in her bait, the only thing she allowed between them is kissing only.

She knew what it was like to be in love. It would mean relinquishing control over her emotions. She already felt the happiness of a heart-and-soul kind of love but she also knows the bitter feeling caused by the loss of someone she loved. She felt like she can't go over to that kind of experience.

It was simpler and easier to just flirt with men. If she was tired of the attention by them, she can easily break things off between them. But according to Rachel, because of her attitude, it's impossible for her to have a family.

She shook her head.

Of course, Rachel would be an ardent advocate of love and marriage. Her life as a wife is great. Even if it's obvious she's having a hard time working and taking care of her family at the same time, she can see the deep happiness in her.

_Unfortunately, she is just one of the lucky few_, she thought to herself.

But as she watched Mike feeding the baby, she was tempted to imagine what it would feel like if he were her husband and Nikki was their child.

She felt like she can hardly breathe. Of course, that was not possible. Nikki is a daughter of someone and she was set to be adopted by a couple who can't have a child of their own. And Mike was such an attractive guy that it was almost certain he was already taken. She felt a huge regret that occupied her as thought of that.

She might have thinking too hard that she didn't know when he got Nikki into sleep. She was even surprised that he was already putting her on the bed. He put pillows on both side of the baby before he stood.

"You better get out of those wet clothes. You might catch cold," he said.

His eyes raked through her and when she glanced down, she gasped. Her chest was already reflecting through her wet clothe. She was facing him the whole time. Maybe he's even thinking that she purposely displayed herself to him.

"I-I never realized..." she didn't finished her sentence. She turned back from him and grabbed the robe that was hanged in the chair. She put it on. She saw a flicker of interest in Mike's eyes when she turned to him once more. But it disappeared quickly. If she just misread that or he instantly killed the feeling that entered his body, she didn't know. She might not even want to find that out.

She was not in the mood for a love affair at the moment. And she had the feeling that Mike was not the kind of guy who was suited for a brief love affair. He was like the type of guy that is hard to forget if she can get closer to him.

"I'm going. You know where to find me if you need me," he said.

She just nodded. She seems to lose the skills to talk. _Oh boy_, she thought to herself.

* * *

**A/N: **Oh boy! Looks like Quinn has the hots for her next door neighbor. We'll get to know more about Mike next chapter so get ready :D

Reviews is absolutely freaking amazing ! :D


	5. Lessons

**A/N:** Five is up ! We'll going to see Mike's point of view a little in this. Both of them are confused on what's going on with them.

**Disclaimer: **I'm very positive that I don't own anything from this. If I do, it would suck so bad that nobody will read it :P This is just for entertainment. Enjoy!

* * *

Mike hurriedly went back to his apartment. When he stepped inside, he closed the door immediately. His breathing is heavy, seems like he ran a mile. He shook his head, trying to erase to his imagination the scene he observed.

"Aw, shit!" he cursed when Quinn's face continuously intrude his mind after he bathed Nikki earlier. With her wet shirt plastered to her chest, he could see the clear outline of her nipples.

_Seeing a woman's nipples is nothing new to you._

He had seen so much more than those. And there are times when he would see a woman that had teasing looks, he never felt any desires. But the desire that surged through his groin when he saw Quinn was something that surprised him. It was too much rigid and runs down fast to his personality.

_Man, you've been celibate far too long._

But he felt like it was not enough reason for him to react like that for Quinn.

_Next, you'd be thinking you're in love with her_; there is an affiliation to his taunt to himself that he thought about.

_Nah! She's not your type._

He was through with women who put their careers before anything else. He met many women like that. Not that he had anything against them. To his own vision, everybody has their own choices on how they want their life to be. He just can't accept that you did something but you can't face the consequences that were brought by it. He was not in the market anymore for career women. And just one glance on Quinn, he already knows that's just her type.

He remembered her expression while he was holding the baby. She looks really scared. She looked like someone who doesn't have any maternal instinct at all. But that didn't necessarily mean she wouldn't make a good mother, or that she wouldn't love being one.

How and why he was involved with her life? It was not too late to back out. But for any reason, he was more challenged to change her vision, to let her see that there is another world besides the corporate world that she was fond of and apparently don't want o leave it.

* * *

Quinn still thinks that Nikki is a monster that any minute, she will eat her. _Granted that she is a cute monster_, she thought while she stared at her. She has slanted eyes. It shows the innocence in it. She has also chubby cheeks and has dimples that appeared at both sides of her cheek when she suddenly smiled at her.

"You're an angel, aren't you?" She may be stone-hearted if she won't be moved to her sweet smile. She touched her head. She almost has no hair on her head that's why she saw the almost perfect round shape of her head.

Something inside her stirred as she looked at the child. She felt like she want to pick her up from where she was lying and hold her. _Oh, no, that might start another round of crying. _She let her stay from where she's lying. She seems comfortable so she take the advantage of arranging all of her things.

She stopped as she was about to grabbed the bag. Did that mean that she was willing to look after the baby? The thought of being responsible for such a small, helpless creature filled her with fear. What if she killed her for having no knowledge of taking care of the baby?

_Women had been giving birth and taking care of kids since the dawn of civilization_, she reminded herself. If she can run her own life, maybe she can also learn how to shelter a baby. And maybe she can learn all of it before she killed the baby.

_There's always that hunk you can run for help_.

She felt her body warm up again as she thought about her neighbour who helps her to make Nikki quiet down. She remembered how she felt when she saw him looking at her breasts. It was as if a current of electricity flowed through her body. She didn't like it. That kind of awareness of a man usually meant trouble. She knows that because she's seen it from her friends. Not her usual group of course. Brittany, Santana, Sugar and Tina are just like her that only cares for their careers. Marriage and having a family is not in their vocabulary.

Nikki kicked her tiny feet. She also made some cooing sounds which caught her attention. When she looked at her, she smiled at her again.

"Okay, fine," she said smiling at her. "I'll keep you. But only until they find you a proper foster parent," she decided.

* * *

Quinn was already regretting her decision just a few hours later. It seemed she really had no idea what a baby's routine was like. When will she eat, change her diaper, get her to sleep and so on and so forth. In effect, she didn't know what to do when Nikki cries. She would try to feed her when she was just wet and needed a diaper change. She would change her diaper when the entire baby wanted was to be cuddled.

In the long run, they both felt like harassed. The doubts about her skills – and choices – rose up again when she's taking care of Nikki. There are times that she's thinking if she should call Rachel or not. On the other hand, it will be good for them both if she should find Nikki a good foster parent. But on the other side, she's thinking about Rachel. She told her she was unable to find other foster parents. She also cannot take care of Nikki because of her son's disease. If she will force her, she will get stress more because she's still having a difficulty finding someone who would take care of Nikki.

"But what am I going to do with you?" she was holding Nikki at that time. She's ranting at her, like saying that she can't do anything to make her stop.

She had fed her, changed her diaper, and burped her the way the handsome hunk taught her. But nothing worked. Nikki's face is already in red from crying. She's also sweating and obviously looked miserable. She wants to join her from crying now because she's also miserable. She felt like her eardrums are going to break any second now due to her loud cries. She would have loved to have a shower but how could she do that when she was holding a screaming baby in her arms?

She remembered what Mike said. She can always ask for his help anytime. _This is as good a time as any. _She doesn't even think on why the world felt brighter when she decided to go to him. But before she stepped outside of her house, she was already beaten up by the knock on the door. The man who she wanted was the one who she opened the door for.

"How long will you let that baby cry before asking for help?"

"Huh?"

"I heard her crying for too long now. I was expecting you to ask for help hours ago. But you never did. Are you that kind of person who thinks asking for help is a sign of weakness? Is your pride so high that you can't accept the things that you can't do?"

She stood shocked at him. She could find no reason for his outburst. He seems very mad at him that she had done a huge mistake. "And who do you think you are to insult me like that?" she glared at him. "I told you, I don't have a clue on how to look after a baby."

"And I told you, you can always come to me for help."

"I was just trying to this on my own first."

"But the baby already sounded so miserable. Besides, it's your first time to acre for a baby. It's not a loss in your personality if you would ask someone for help. Someone needs to show you the ropes, at least for the first few days. Don't take all your problems by yourself because I'm very certain that you'll find it hard. Just think of the baby's welfare."

He had a point, she realized that. What she can't accept is he reprimanded her, particularly, she just met him. "Get out," she growled.

This time, Mike is the one who's shocked by her, seems like he can't believe what he just heard.

"I said get out," she repeated, she made it sound more rigid.

"But the baby – "

"I have maybe at least enough IQ to make her stop. You don't have the right to tell me what to do. That is precisely one of the reasons I'm not that keen on getting married. Husbands have this tendency to tell their wives what to do. Like their wives don't have their own minds and choices. And if you're going to dictate me when I only just met you, then it's better if we just forget that we knew each other."

"But the baby – "

"Leave the baby to me. I won't kill her, I'm sure of that."

"I can't let you – "

"Just watch me. Get out now if you don't want me to call security. Even if you're a tenant in this building, you still don't have any rights to enter my house."

It's obviously show that he's panicking. From all the rage that she was feeling, she can't avoid herself to be confused.

"I-I'm sorry, okay?" he said. "You're right. I don't have any rights to interfere with your life. Maybe I'm a control freak. That is probably why I can't seem to just stand by and not do anything. And that baby sounded as if she is crying her lungs out."

Nikki started to cry loudly. She immediately forgot that she's angry at Mike.

"Here, take her." She passed Nikki to him. She felt as if she had taken all she could. "I'm going to give her to you for a while and let's see if you'll know what she wants."

Nikki didn't stop from crying even if Mike is holding her.

He sang a lullaby to her but it didn't work. "Sshh, stop crying. Stop crying good girl," he patiently cheered her up.

But Nikki seems so mad. She continues to wail loudly. She bent her body abruptly. If Mike didn't catch her immediately, he probably had dropped her. She was thankful that Nikki didn't do that earlier to her when she was holding her. What if she dropped her?

"Maybe she's just tired," Mike said. "Could you make her milk? Only a little amount so she can just fell asleep."

She complied immediately. She would do anything to stop the noise that was pure torture to her eardrums. When she passed the bottle of milk to Mike, he didn't put it to Nikki's mouth immediately. Instead, he brought it closely and gently put the teats to Nikki's mouth. Not long after, Nikki feed on it. Few minutes later, her eyelids started to flutter close. In a little while, she was fast asleep.

"You know a lot of tricks."

"I told you, I was exposed to child care early on. There is no secret to be able to do it successfully. All you have to do is to anticipate what a baby might want. Because sometimes, even them, they don't know what they really want. They feel miserable, that's all. And so they cry."

"And how can I anticipate what they like? I don't even have any idea on – "

"You can always ask for help from someone who knows how to take care of a baby."

"And that someone is you, right?"

"I'm your twenty-four-hour hotline on child care. And I meant it when I said you can ask for my help anytime. You understand? There's no reason for you to be shy. I'm the one who offered help. I'm going to apologize again. My reaction was uncalled for."

"It's okay," she said. "Your intention was good anyway."

"I'll just put her down to the crib. If ever she wakes up, just put the pacifier in her mouth. That usually put babies back to sleep."

"Okay." She nodded.

He stood and gently put the sleeping baby to the crib. She slightly grunted but immediately settles down when Mike gently pats her hips.

She was fascinated at what Mike is doing. He looked so competent. And he seemed to do it with so much tenderness. It was not hard to picture in her mind of him the role of being a father. A darn good one, she was sure of that. It seems like she was the opposite of him. She was certain she wouldn't make a good mother. How can her if she really doesn't like taking care of babies.

But looking at Mike, the idea of him playing the role of a father to her child tickled her imagination. And it was not just her imagination that was tickled. Because for him to be the father of their child, there must be something going on between them. It was that thought that suddenly made her feel warm all over.

_Hello, have you gone mad? _

She tore her gaze from Mike. She busied herself in arranging the disordered things of Nikki. As if her apartment has become a warzone. It was because she just put anything she used to make Nikki stop from crying here and there. There were diapers – clean and dirty – everywhere. Empty milk bottles littered the floor. There is some milk powder on the carpet. It was spilled earlier when she was hurriedly mixing the formula for Nikki. Some of her clothes is hanging everywhere too. She may not be the world's best homemaker but she had never seen her house look like a disaster area. She grimaced in effect.

"Let me help you clean up," Mike volunteered. Before she decline his offer, he already started to cleaned the messes.

_A gem of a husband_, she suddenly thought. As if she envied the women who will he slept with him – or maybe had slept with him.

"What do you do?" she asked.

"I'm an architect," he said while he continues on cleaning. "But I work freelance. That's why I told you I'm always at home. I go out only when I see my clients. That's why you can come to me for help."

"Thanks."

"Are you going to keep her?"

"Uh ..." she hesitated. Nikki's been just with her for almost a day. But she felt like ten years was added to her age. But remembering the way the baby smiled made her reluctant to turn the child over to somebody else. "I guess so."

"Are you sure? If you can't handle it, maybe you can transfer her to others. Before you two find it more difficult. Or you can always hire that nanny you were talking about. I really didn't mean it when I said that would be cheating."

She could do either of those things. She won't take out the possibilities that she would force herself to do any of those two options. But for the meantime, she suddenly had determination to be trained to the things that she don't have knowledge at.

"I'm sure I want to take on the challenge. But I'm not shutting my mouth for any change of decisions," she said.

"At least, you're honest," he said. "And remember, I'm just next door."

"I'll remember." _As if I'm going to forget that._

"Uh, you should eat some snack. It's the least I could do."

"No, thanks. But uhm .. I have a better idea. How about having dinner with me tonight?"

"You're joking, right?" she glanced at the sleeping baby.

"I live just next door and the invitation includes Nikki. I'll cook dinner."

"You know how to cook?"

"is it because I'm a guy so it's surprising?"

"I-it's not that. Okay, it was shocking." She admitted. "The guys I know aren't even capable of boiling water."

"Well, this guy knows a lot more than that. So, are you willing to be one of my victims?"

She laughed. "Sure. I'm not good at cooking and now that i have a baby to take care of, I'm in favour to get invited at a dinner."

"I'll see you at seven. Dress casually." He added, joking.

"As if I can do otherwise, what with my hands full with baby care."

"You can do it. Think of it as a learning experience. You may not get married; you will be able to increase your knowledge, right?"

"You have a point. And thanks for your help."

"It's my pleasure." He said that and then say goodbye to her.

She can't understand why suddenly she was surging with the urge to stop him. It seems like she wants to talk to him longer. _You're losing it._ She shook her choice of inventing of any reason just for Mike to stay.

She let out a heavy sigh when the front door closed. The guy definitely caught her attention. It's been so long since that happened to her. She almost forgot that feeling. But because of that, maybe she should be more distant to Mike. Who knew where the tiny flicker of interest she felt for him might lead? However, she still can't help to get impatient for the time of the dinner that they'll share to arrive.

* * *

"Hello, angel." He greeted Nikki immediately as he opened the door for them. After he cuddled to her, he finally turns his attention to her. "For a first-day mom, you look quite good," he said.

Quinn couldn't stop the tingle of pleasure that surged through her because of that compliment. She was told to dress casually. But it doesn't mean that she should just wear the clothes she used to wear when at home. Instead, she wore khaki shorts with matching peach baby tee for her attire.

Thankfully, Nikki had been cooperative. She didn't worry her that's why she fixed herself in peace. She was even able to take a quick shower while the child played contentedly in her playpen. Because of that, her disposition is good as she transfer to his apartment.

"Something smells good." Her stomach immediately grumbled at the smell. "If that's our dinner, right now, I'm glad that I didn't decline your invitation."

"That's our dinner all right. It's almost ready, too. I'll check on it for a while. How about a drink?"

"Ice tea if you have," she said.

"One ice tea coming up. Have a seat," he said as he left her for a moment.

She glanced around the room. His apartment isn't like an ordinary bachelor's pad. It was neat and there's no mess around. Yeah, the decoration is very simple but that's what's in these days – the minimalist look. It seems like he added another points to her.

_Why the need to keep score?_ She scolded herself.

Nikki was sitting at her stroller. She just discovered how to use that earlier. It was folded and was under her couch that's why she didn't notice that Rachel brought it.

She stopped at looking around when she glanced to the pictures from the divider. She reached one of them. She saw a photo of a woman. She could be anyone. Mike's sister, cousin, friend or anyone. But she didn't stop herself from feeling a bit of jealousy that covered her entire body.

_You're being too much irrational._

She didn't like what she felt so she quickly put down the photo. She didn't continue looking at the other photos. She turned towards the kitchen. His apartment has the same layout as hers. The arrangement of his furniture is the only difference. She only took few steps and she already saw him. He was standing over the stove, stirring something.

She went towards him but he seemed focused on what he's doing that he didn't notice her coming to the kitchen. He scooped from the pan and tastes it. He nodded, hinting that the taste fit his expectation. Suddenly, he turned. She did not expect that. So she didn't even avoid him. It also seems that he didn't know that there's someone on his way so he bumped into her.

The breath was knocked out of her. She felt like a bulldozer just hit her. He alertly held her shoulders though so he can support her. A strong bolt of electricity immediately sizzled through her. Suddenly she felt like she just had a strange awareness to him as a guy. And what a great hunk of a man he seemed to be, with his hard body and the steely strength she felt as his fingers gripped her shoulders.

He also seems felt something. It's obvious that he was astonished. He was starting to say something but when he glanced down at her, he seemed to forget what it was he was about to say. Instead, his eyes darkened as he gazed at her. He also didn't let her go even though she regained her balance.

She was tempted to mold her body against his. Because it seems like it was compelling to lean her body to his strong muscles that she just bumped into. And it was attracting to be inside of that steel-type strength when he encircled those to her.

He stayed staring at her. And then she saw his eyes stray towards her lips. As if thinking if he should kiss her. Suddenly, she felt like kissing him, too.

She was terrified at that feeling. Since when she was attracted to kiss a guy so soon? Oh, yes, she didn't lie when she told him she liked men. But her only want is to flirt to them. Not once was she seized with a desire to kiss them. At least, not as strong as the desire she was feeling at the moment.

The screechy sound of cries coming from the living room tore to whatever forces that engulfs that moment. Both of them jump. He let go of her. She almost tripped retreating from him.

"I-I'll just check on Nikki," she said, and then she immediately went back to the living room.

* * *

**A/N: **Woah! something's happening with Quinn. Haha. Sorry for the cliffhangers but I promise to write the next one fast. Reviews are pretty much appreciated. :D


	6. This can't happen

**A/N: **Hello again! After what happened between them on the kitchen, they still should kiss, right? so in this chapter, we're going to find out what will happen to their relationship if that happened and we'll get to know more about what's Mike really hiding. I want to write more of the rated M stuff but it would be just inappropriate to the whole Quinn and Mike characters. i want them being of a wholesome couple so I'm sorry if I didn't do that.

I'm so really grateful for all the people who read this and i hope more will still come. Read and Review is awesome. :D

**Disclaimer: **The characters and story are really not mine. This is for fun and entertainment. Enjoy !

* * *

Looking after a baby was as hard as work Quinn imagines it to be. Even though she has system – with the help of Mike – she admitted to herself that taking care of a baby is very tiring. She couldn't sleep when she wanted to. She had to take hurried showers instead of lounging in the tub. She would eat when she had the time and not when she was hungry. If Mike wasn't his neighbor, she must have surrendered already. The guy was a big help, definitely. And even if she wanted to deny it, his presence made the burden of caring for a baby so much lighter.

Rachel calls her almost every day. She's keeps on apologizing to her and keeps on asking her if she's not cursing her already. If at first, she was always asking if there are already available foster parents to their list, now she was afraid Rachel will say that they would take Nikki away.

She had grown attached to the child, much to her amazement. Even if she's having a hard time taking care of her, one smile from her will automatically shook out all of her exhaustion. Nikki was such a sweet kid actually. After all, she was more kind than the other kids. She cried only when something was bothering her, like when she was wet or hungry. If she starting to have tantrums as they arrived from their house, probably she will not know what she wants.

As time passed, she learned how to differentiate her cries. She already know what type of her cry will identify if she's hungry, being grumpy, sleepy, stomach ache because of gas pain and not getting comfortable from her wet diaper. It amazed her that she developed that instinct in such short time. Her confidence had increase that she was surprised that one late afternoon, she can't make her stop from crying. She did everything. She tried to feed her, changer her diapers and so on and so forth. But nothing worked.

The child looked utterly miserable. She keeps on biting her fingers, her eyes are red already and she thinks that she looks pale. The baby's body also felt much warmer than usual. When she touch her forehead, she was shocked on how hot she is.

"Oh, no!" she exclaimed. If she has anything to be afraid of, it's her getting sick. And that was because she had no idea how to handle a sick infant. How can she ask Nikki on what's hurting her? How can she know if her condition is getting bad?

Her first impulse was to panic. She'll take her to the hospital. But before she did that, it's a good timing when Rachel called her.

"Thank goodness you called up!" she said when she recognized her voice.

"Is everything okay?"

"It's Nikki. She's sick. I'm planning on taking her to the hospital."

"What? Is it severe?"

"How should I know? I'm not a doctor. I can't even ask her if she's dying already." Because of panicking, she can't help but to be hostile.

"Calm down. Tell me what symptoms she has."

"She's hot. Seems like she has a fever."

"You're not sure?"

"I don't even know if it's high. She's just hot."

"There's a thermometer on her diaper bag. It's on the side pocket. That was put on – "

"Rachel, I don't know how to check the temperature of a baby," she protested.

"There's an instruction on the case. It's easy. You should check first her temperature. The normal temperature is thirty-seven degrees. If it was thirty-eight above, she has a fever. Forty and above, it's already dangerous. If – "

"Rachel, stop. It's too much information." She panicked. She didn't know how to control it. That was one of the things she didn't like about babies. They were so small and helpless and fragile. She felt like they were like a breakable crystal and they're always in danger on getting broken if you did something wrong holding them.

"I'll be there as soon as I can, okay? I only have a presentation to be done because there is a foreigner that is planning on sponsoring the babies that are in our custody. I only need to present to him all about our organization. Hold the fort till I get there."

"Please hurry," she pleaded. She ended her conversation to her. She only put the phone down for a few minutes when someone knocks at the door. She was startled. Rachel arrived too fast.

"Quinn ..."

She finally relaxes as she heard Mike's voice. She knocked on his door earlier but no one answered so she thought that he's not at home, the thing that made her panic. She let him inside.

"I heard Nikki crying. What's the problem?" he started.

"I think she has a fever. I was planning on taking her to the hospital but Rachel said that I should get her temperature first. The thing is, I don't know how. I tried knocking at your house but no one answered."

"I was out. Sorry. I just talked to some client. I just arrived." He took the grumpy baby from her. He touched her forehead. "Hmm, seems only a slight fever. But we should still make sure. Where's the thermometer?"

She turned to the table and reached for what he need. She was trying to read the instructions earlier on the box but because of her panic, she didn't understand anything.

Mike put the thermometer on Nikki's mouth. After a few seconds, he took it out. "Thirty-eight degrees. Yeah, only a slight fever." He said as he showed her the noted temperature.

"But why does she feel so miserable?" she can't remove her worries.

"She's basically like that when she's sick. Babies are always like that." He added quickly. "It seems like she also has a cold." He wiped her nose by his handkerchief. "That's maybe the reason why she has a fever. I wouldn't recommend rushing her to the hospital yet. Let's observe her first."

"I'm scared. What if her cold leads some other way?"

"I'll stay with you if that's all right. So you can have someone will help you looking after her. My guess is she would have a restless sleep."

"Y-you don't have to. Nikki is my responsibility."

"Please, what are neighbours for?"

"Fine, if that's what you want, I will not decline the offer."

* * *

Quinn was greatly thankful that she accepted Mike's offer. If she didn't she might have lose it. He was right; Nikki did have a restless night. It's not like before that she's sleeping continuously, she's wakes up every time. She maybe going to panic if she's alone because there are times that she felt so hot in her touch. But when Mike gets her temperature, it only a bit beyond thirty-eight degrees.

Rachel also called again, checking them up. She was already on her way but she said that everything is already under control. She knows that her family needs her friend too.

"Why don't you get some sleep? I'll be the one to watch her," Mike volunteered. It's already past midnight and she's sure that he saw her already falling asleep.

"I'm sure I won't be able to fall asleep," she declined. "You should be the one who should sleep."

"I won't fall asleep too. It'll be hard to fall asleep when you're watching over a sick baby," he reasoned out.

In the end, she decided to get them both some coffee. She made two cups of it. She brought it to her bedroom that was temporarily made as a nursery. She glanced at Nikki on the crib sleeping.

"I hope her sleep will be long," she said. "I already pity her."

"Maybe the medicine that we used already works on her. Maybe her sleep will be longer this time. Let's take the opportunity to rest. Here, have a seat." Mike patted the space next to him.

She hesitated. The love seat that she brought into her room was the most comfortable couch there. The only thing is, it's a bit small. Two people will only fit in there.

"Come on, I don't bite. I also don't have body odour. But if you don't want to sit next to me, you should just sit here. I'll just take – "

"It's okay," she stopped him as he was about to stand up from the love seat. "There's no problem if I sit next to you. Just make sure you don't have body odour."

He smelled himself. "I don't smell anything. Just push me if you didn't like the smell."

She smiles as she sits next to him. It was not a very tight fit but she did have to snuggle against him in order for them to be comfortable. And opposite to her joke, she didn't smell any bad odour from him. Instead, he smelled fresh, woodsy scent, like a forest after a downpour. Suddenly, she was thankful that she placed that love seat in the nursery.

"You never told me why you have so much knowledge about child care," she said. Ever since, she was curious about it but she was hesitant at asking him. At that moment, she dared to ask him.

He didn't answer.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"It's not that. I'm just thinking how I will start the explanation. I have two siblings that are younger than me. Our age gap are very far from each other so when my mother took care of them, I just got the idea on how to do it. My mother is a single parent. My father died because of an accident at a factory that he's inspecting. There were times when I had to look after my brother and sister when my mom was away at work."

"Later on, my siblings decided to start their own families. When they were still not migrating in Canada with my Mom, they were always come to my house with their kids. There were times that I was forced to babysit. Maybe because I grew up being used to taking care of kids so I'm not considering it anymore as woman's job only. And in this period of time, there are already guys out there that enjoy being a hands-on father, right?"

"Where is your Mom right now? And your siblings, do still have communication with each other?" she didn't know why she wants to know more about him.

"My mom's already gone. She died with a cancer of the liver five years ago. I still talked to Vince and Janna at phone and through e-mail. Their children that I used to babysit are already grown-ups now. But it's nice to think that they still remember those times when I used to go out with them."

"You'd make a good father. The woman you will marry will be so lucky." And in her heart, she suddenly found herself wishing that she was that woman. She quickly shook that out of her head.

_You're not the marrying type, remember? _She remind to herself. _Family life is not for you. _ There is still no certainty that her life as a married woman would be peaceful.

"Don't be so sure that she will be lucky. It's still depends if we're going to be compatible at each other."

She stared at him. She sensed sadness in his voice. And when she looks on his face, she was sure that it was not just her imagination that made it. He also looked sad. The sadness she saw in his face touched a chord in her heart. It was as if her hand has its own mind and touches his cheek.

He caught his hand, and then kissed her palm. As if the heat that she felt from his lips travels all the way to her heart. She wanted this man, she quickly realized that. But not only the physical connection has she wanted. She wanted – needed – something deeper, something more lasting.

She was afraid at that idea so she tried to stand. But before she can move, Mike went to kiss her lips.

The kiss ignited a fire deep inside her. She felt like ever since, it was wanting to burst out and it's just waiting for an ignition so it can finally flare up. She wanted him so badly that she almost cried out in protest when she heard Nikki's cry. But that cry was enough to make her sanity come back. She's the one who stood to check on her.

Nikki's illness didn't last long, much to Quinn's relief. She went back to being lively the next day. However, she was more careful in taking care of her the next few days. By then, she felt as if she had been taking care of a baby all her life. Her fears and doubts were gone and she was not resisting herself from having the idea of having her own baby. The only problem was, who would the father be?

She won't admit it, and until then, she will deny it, that it was Mike that she always imagines to be the father of her child. Yes, she wanted to kiss him and yes, there was a time when she wanted him so badly. But it was not enough reason for her to expect him to be the father of her child.

The days went by so fast. She's not regretting that her vacation leave pass where she didn't go to beach like what she had planned. Somehow, staying at home and being with Nikki seemed such an enjoyable time to spend her vacation.

Mike often becomes her guest. There were times that they would go out. And at those times, it's harder for her not to imagine that they were married and Nikki was their daughter. Sometimes, they were being told by the salesclerks and people who will saw them that they were the parents of Nikki. And each time it happened, she couldn't help wishing that it were so.

They just went to an amusement park that night. As usual, Mike carried Nikki while they were going back to their apartments. She was so tired when they are in the elevator so she leaned her head to his shoulder. To her surprise – and delight – he bent down and kissed the top of her head.

When she looked at him with a questioning look, he just winked at her. She felt like her heart gone wild because of that. And when he pulled her and put his arms around her shoulder, as if the world becomes brighter and peaceful at the same time.

When they arrived at their apartment, she can't shoot the key to lock. To whatever reason, her hands are just shaking at that moment. Mike had to hold her hand steady and help her put the key into the slot.

Upon entering the door, he went immediately to the nursery and put Nikki into her crib. The child didn't even stir. She looks so tired from their whole afternoon stroll. When she was watching Mike fixing the child's sleeping posture, her mind suddenly played about the time when Nikki will be gone. She felt so sad that tears flowed down her cheeks and try as she might, she couldn't seem to stern the flow.

"What's wrong?" Mike quickly went to her when he stepped out of the nursery. She tried to turn back from him so he wouldn't see her crying but it was too late.

"N-nothing."

"Why would you cry if it's nothing?"

"I'm just tired, I guess. Or maybe it's just PMS. You know, premenstrual something."

He didn't continue asking her. Instead, he pulled her close and leaned her head to his chest and strokes her back. But it was not comfort she needed at that moment. When their eyes met, she must have communicated her need for him because all of a sudden he was kissing her with an intensity she had never seen him display before.

She didn't waste any more time to think. She must have realized it would be useless to debate with her. In the end, she thought that her heart will always prevail.

"This can't happen," he said. But that was it. As if he didn't any power to stop what's going on between them.

* * *

_This can't happen_. Mike repeated what he just said earlier. He asserted that. But his will remains deaf. His body was on fire. The need raging inside him would not be denied. That is even if he has thinking so many reasons on why he shouldn't be doing what he's doing.

Quinn doesn't deserve to be a victim in a scheme he foolishly agreed to. It's not right to everything will end up like that. But he never expected to want her so badly. He never expected to get so challenged to change her point of view that she was not suitable at having a family.

What he saw in the days he had known her told him otherwise. Quinn has a nurturing side that other women that prioritizing their careers like her don't have. She might not realize it yet but she would not be happy growing old alone. Her type is the one who needs a family. He admit that ever since the first time, he really thought that she really deserves to be alone, that she's just like her the others who will be happy with their own careers. But seeing how she responded to the challenge of caring for Nikki changed his view.

_It is still not enough reason to take advantage of her._

Because of what he's thinking, he tried to pull himself away from their embrace. But he can't slip away. Because her arms are also encircling him. And admittedly, he could offer only a token of resistance. When he couldn't immediately slip away from her, his standpoint began to soften. And tasting her questing tongue further weakened his resolve.

Giving up, he allowed his instinct to override his good judgment. Their lips are still attached to each other, he push her into her bedroom. There they shared the fire that he never thought that would be that strong when ignited.

* * *

**A/N: **Tadaa ! They finally did it! :P I wonder what's Mike talking about. Haha. The next chapter will be done as soon as possible. Reviews are cool and fun. :D


	7. Truth Hurts Badly

**A/N: **And so maybe I lied a little on the previous chapter that there were only a bit of smut in this story. Actually there's a lot more, well, maybe not too much, and I'm sorry for posting this a little late. I got busy about school and stuff so I apologize for the people who waited this long. _  
_

Finally, here's chapter 8. The chapter where we all going to find out about Mike's story and how he ended up in Quinn's life. Started as passionate and ended with angst so sorry v^^v

Also, Thanks for all the people who's reading this and for the favorites/alerts .. Thanks so MUCH !

Enough with me, go ahead and enjoy !

**Disclaimer: **I wish I own this all so I would be so cool but I don't. This is for fun and entertainment. Enjoy!

* * *

_This is pure magic._ Those were the only words Quinn could think of to describe what was happening to her at that moment. She never thought that a man's touch could make her heat up like a burning flame. But then, it was not just any man who was touching her, caressing her in all the places that were crying out for attention. It was Mike she was with. And based on past experience, he alone had this power to super charge all her senses.

She ached, she tingled. On which of those senses that mixes on her feelings now, she didn't know. Suddenly, her whole body seemed like one big mass of nerve endings, all of which were extra sensitive to every touch of his hands.

_Stop it. This is pure madness!_ Her sanity yelled to her. And for a while, it caught her attention. She stopped at kissing him for a moment. She hesitated for a few seconds. But then, his hands started weaving their magic once more.

His palms cupped her breasts, kneading them, his fingers plucking at her nipples, until they became as hard as tiny pebbles. She's been gasping since then and now, as if she was having a hard time to breathe on what he's doing to her body right now.

She felt his lips roam over her body. From her neck, they went down to her breasts. She almost cried out when his lips closed over the hardened tips. But before she could begin to savor the sensation, he moved once more. Lower ... and lower still.

"No!" she screamed as she guessed on where he's going. She grasped his shoulders and frantically pulled him back up.

She heard one weak laugh coming from him before he obliged on what she want. He kissed her once more, plunging inside her mouth with a passion that cried out to be reciprocated with the same ardency. And reciprocate, she did. She followed every movement of his lips, joined the dancing of his tongue to her mouth. And at every moment that passed, she felt like her temperature increases ten times more.

It felt as if she was floating on air. It seemed like she was sailing through the universe at the speed of light. It was thrilling. It was exciting. But also a bit scary. She became more nervous when he positioned himself, preparing to claim her fully.

_Get up! Run! _Her mind ordered her. But it seems like she was tied up on the bed because she can't even move. She just watched as he parted her thighs. She closed her eyes on what he did next. She bit her lip when she felt pain. She was expecting it but she didn't realize it would be that uncomfortable.

He stopped suddenly at his movement. When she opened her eyes, his face was marked with surprise. As if his mind is also having second thoughts. She could guess what he must be feeling. Maybe his mind and heart are debating if he should continue what he's doing after he found out that she's a virgin.

She almost screamed when he made a move to pull away. She was feeling a slight discomfort, yes, but there was a hunger deep inside of her that was crying out to be satisfied. And although she doesn't know anything about love making, she knew that it was the only response to the fire that he made to her being.

She gripped him with her thighs to stop him from pulling away. As if she was embarrassed in thinking that she was stopping him. But at that moment, the strong need that was surrounding her right now is prevailing and screaming for fulfilment.

He also seems like he chose what his own choice. After a few more seconds of hesitation, he started to move again. With every thrust, the pain she was feeling lessened, to be replaced by a sensation she couldn't even begin to describe. She felt so out of breath, as though she had been running for a long time. And yet, her whole body seemed to be energized by an unknown but very potent power source.

Instinct took over. She met every thrust of his body; she matched his rhythm until they were moving in perfect coordination. And slowly the fire inside her grew stronger, bigger, until it burst into a flaming inferno ...

Mike couldn't believe the sensations that racked his body. He's not a novice at having sex but he can't remember getting affected that way at a different time when he was with another woman in bed. What he just experienced was pure, mindless pleasure. If why he was feeling that way, he can't find any explanation.

Quinn was not an expert when it came to lovemaking. In fact, he just discovered that she was a novice. When he found out that he was the first one who claimed her, he hesitated for a long time. Guilt was the first emotion he felt. He was not in the habit of enticing virgins to his bed. He prefers women with experience. Women who knew the real score and who did not equate a trip to bed with a lasting commitment with him.

But then, she held him down and writhed beneath him. That was when he lost it. His patience snapped and his conscience was defeated by the burning sensation he felt inside of him. All he could suddenly think of was how to make what was happening between them as satisfying for them both as he could.

But if his suspicion was right, it seems like he didn't do anything unique. All he did was what came naturally. That was why he was amazed when he climaxed with a fury that equalled the explosion of a long dormant volcano. Even now, he could still feel his whole body tingling with pleasure. His manhood still throbbed and was slowly coming to life once more.

Her eyes grew wide. Perhaps she also felt his manhood coming to life that was still inside of her. And then, as he started moving slowly once more, he saw her eyes darken with pleasure. It pleased him that he had the power to make her feel that way. And he was gripped by the intense desire to satisfy her.

At that time, he was focusing more on her satisfaction. He had never been a selfish lover. He usually took the time to pleasure his partner before seeking his own satisfaction. But there was something different that time around. As if there was some kind of feeling that was urging him to make her happy.

The second explosion was as mind-boggling and as intense as the first one. He was not yet satisfied. If he could have his way, he would make love to Quinn nonstop. But as it was said, the spirit was willing but the flesh was weak. After two powerful climaxes, he seemed drained of energy. He needs to recharge for a bit. Breathing hard, he collapsed at her side. He turned to her and pulled her within the circle of her arms. As passion waned, his conscience started bothering him once more.

_Tell her. Now!_

If before, he can be deaf at that sudden impulse, now, he just can't take it anymore. He just felt so damn guilty.

He's expecting what her reaction is going to be when he told her his secret. She would be angry, and with good reason. That's why maybe he was hesitant on telling her the truth of his arrival to her life. But tell her, he must. After what happened between them, it was only right that he should. Reluctantly, he turned to her.

"There is something you should know..." that was only he said when the phone rang. He recognized the ringing tone was his own. His brows furrowed. He has no idea on who was calling him and it seems important to tell her first what he should be confessing. But his phone kept on ringing.

As he uttered some cursing, he got out of the bed and finds his phone on the clothes that was on the floor. "Jeez, man, bad timing," he muttered to his friend. When he picks up his phone, he walked away from Quinn so she couldn't hear their conversation. "What?" he exclaimed when his friend told him why he called. "How did you find out?" He was shocked by the news. "How is she?" He couldn't believe what was happening. "Oh, no! Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can. Thanks for letting me know."

Quinn was just staring at him when he glanced at her. But he's sure that she was intrigued on what's happening. Because of getting shocked, he didn't control the sound of his voice. And he hated what he was about to do right now.

"A very long explanation would be necessary after I tell you where I am about to rush to. I'm only asking you to keep an open mind until we can sit down and talk," he said.

She may not even talk but a huge doubt was visible on her face.

* * *

_Oh, no!_ If Quinn can just stop herself from listening to what Mike was going to say, she already did it. Base on the tone of his voice, she already knows that anything he'll say will not be good.

"I don't want to rush away like this but I-I have to. My wife, my ex-wife rather, is in the hospital and she is hovering between life and death. She is an airline attendant. My friend who just called me is the one who told me that the airplane where Tina's in crashed.

An explosion of an atomic bomb would make a great comparison on what he just said. It felt like the world becomes very quiet, like she can't hear any sound at all. And then she heard the loud crack of her hand as it hit Mike's cheek. She looked at her hand. When it started to hurt, she just then realized that she just slapped Mike.

"I deserve that," he said, holding the cheek she just slapped. "I do want to explain but I don't have the time. I want you to know about Tina because ... because I don't want you to find it out from someone else. Our marriage already ended and – "

"Go away, Mike." Her voice was very low though she was holding back her anger.

"Quinn, there's an explanation – "

"Just go to your wife." She turned away and went to the bathroom. She doesn't have any clothes on. She's feeling a huge embarrassment. She desperately needed to get away from him. She ignored him when he called her. Her hands were shaking when she closed the door and then locked it.

He made a few more attempts to get her to open the door but of course, she refused to do so. After a few minutes, she heard her bedroom door closed. A few more seconds later, she heard the faint sound of the front door closing. That's when she let her tears fall that has been making her eyelids burned. As her tears fell, she slowly slid to the floor. When she sat on the floor, she can't control anymore her sobs. Sobs racked her body as she relived in her mind what had just happened between her and Mike.

Not only she did she give him her body. She gave her heart first. Because she realized that there was no way on earth would she have made love with him if she didn't love him. It's not just a physical need that let her give him permission to take her whole body. Loving him is the great reason. For only the second time in her life she allowed herself to love. And just like the first time that she did it, she was unfortunate.

_But he said the woman is his ex-wife._

_ Ex – wife or not, he didn't told her anything about her. And that is something he should have mentioned before ... before..._

Even to herself, she can't tell what she and Mike had. She felt so betrayed ... and so stupid! Why is she can be easily carried away by her own emotions?

When she felt numb by sitting on the floor, she finally let herself stood. She stepped into the shower and turned the water on full blast. The phone was ringing when she stepped out of the shower. It was her landline and the extension was on the nightstand, just an arm's length away. However, she's still having second thoughts of she should answer it. As if she is not in the right condition to talk to anyone right now.

But the ringing seemed so loud and she was afraid it would wake up the baby who was sleeping in the other room so she snatched up the receiver.

"Quinn?" The person on the other line immediately talked.

"What's wrong, Rachel?" She identified her friend's name. It was obvious from her voice that she's worried.

"I'm so sorry. Mike called me."

"That bastard!"

"Please, don't get mad at him first. And if truth to be told, you should just blame me."

"Huh? What are you talking about? How is it your fault? The guy is married and I don't see how is it any fault of yours that – "

"He is not married. He was divorced from her long ago."

She stopped. "How did you know that?" she wondered.

"Because I know Mike. I already knew him before you two met. And ... this is the bloody part."

Before she can continue what she's saying, she was distracted by the loud cries coming from the other room. "Wait, Nikki's awake," she said.

"I'll just go there."

"Okay." She put down the phone.

* * *

"Before I explain, I just want to say I'm sorry," Rachel said. Almost half an hour just passed, she was already on Quinn's apartment. She rejected her when she offered her a drink. Instead, she immediately started talking. Almost like she was hurrying from saying to her what she feels.

"Rachel, I'm getting confused. I don't understand how you are connected from what Mike did," she said.

Rachel glanced at Nikki. She was on the playpen that time, playing. "This is very difficult for me. I don't expect my plan to be like this. It backfired on me. And the worst part is, you took all of its effects."

"Will you just tell me what the problem is? I'm getting more suspense."

"Sorry. I was scared that you won't treat me as your friend anymore after you heard what I'll going to say so I can't even begin to confess. But there's no sense postponing the inevitable so I'll just go out and say it. This has all been a ploy – me bringing Nikki to you, Mike helping you on taking care of her. All of that was part of my plan on what you are missing in your life." She winced. "I don't even know why I'd been like that. Who am I to tell you what's missing in your life? And mow my plan blew up on my face. You became casualty also."

She just stared at her. It was all too much to take in. As if her mind has shut down temporarily and can't process any information.

"I planned all these," she said, making sure that she said it clearly. "Nikki is Mike's daughter. It's been months when Mike and Tina were divorced but she was just in his custody not long ago. Based on the law, the children under the age of seven should be in the mother's custody; unless it was proven that the woman is an unfit mother. Well, Tina is not unfit but she voluntarily surrendered the custody of the child to Mike because she was a very career-oriented woman. She's an airline attendant. When she had flights, she's leaving Nikki to a nanny. Since then, she and Mike had been fighting from giving him their baby. Until finally, Mike convinced her.

"Mike is a good father. And because he was not tied up to his job, he has more time from taking care of Nikki. The child's nanny had just left when I came up with this brilliant idea of borrowing Nikki."

She just stared at her. She borrowed the child? What is she, a toy?

"I know what you're thinking. That I'm nuts." It was shown on her face that she was embarrassed. "And you're right from what you're thinking. I am crazy from thinking that. Even Mike told me so. At first, he didn't agree to me at all from borrowing Nikki and lied from needing a foster home for the baby. But I persisted. You already know persistent I am. Because the child's nanny suddenly left and he can't find any replacement, I manage to convince him that we are all going to benefit if he agreed to my plan.

"He would benefit because he would be able to leave the child from time to time without worrying that his child would be kidnapped or neglected. He doesn't have any relative that can turn to. I would benefit because I thought I would be helping you. And you would benefit because you would realize what you're missing and would be able to remedy the situation before it's too late."

"Arbitrarily, Mike was looking for a good investment. You told me before that the apartment next to you were for sale I convinced him to buy that and to pretend to be a new neighbour. In that way, he can look after Nikki when she's on your custody. I didn't plan on making you look after her for long. I was planning on letting you have her for only two weeks tops."

She winced again. "I guess I wanted to play God," she continued. "Like I really knew what you need in your life. I don't know why I can't accept that you're happy being single and career-oriented. I told myself that when you experienced how satisfying it is to be a mother, you would want to settle down and get married like me."

"And you think Mike be my groom?" she asked.

"Not necessarily. If something developed between you two, it's much better. I already know Mike before he and her wife divorced. I had some projects that he was supported actively. I know he's a good guy and he had become my friend. It's better if you two would end up together. If it didn't, I expected that you'll find the guy that you were going to marry eventually. You never lose admirers. You're just the one who's ignoring them. I figured it's because you are afraid to love again for fear of getting hurt. I can't accept your reason on why you don't have any interest on getting married and take care of a baby."

"I am so sorry. I wasn't thinking. Now, you have to bear the consequences. I don't know how I'm going to fix the mess that I made. Please, believe me, Quinn; I had your best interest at heart. And I hope, after you think this all through, you can forgive me."

She felt angry to her. Any normal person would felt that if it happened to them. But Rachel looked so miserable that she couldn't let her anger undermine their friendship. They were in college when they became best friends. They had been through so much together. They had shared pain and suffering, joy and success. On behalf of many years that they'd been best friends, she can forgive her, particularly because it seems that all she thinks about is her happiness.

"It's okay." She patted her hand.

"Really?" As if she can't believe that she forgives her that easy. "Are you sure?"

She nodded. "I feel bad right now but it'll pass."

"I am really sorry." It seems she can't stop apologizing to her.

"I said it is okay." She tried her best to smile.

"I don't want you to know it this way. Honestly, I didn't plan how I'm going to tell you the truth. Maybe because I expected so much that you and Mike will get together. Because if you two did, there will be not that much complications. I mean, because you're so happy that ... that you can forgive me so easy. But I realized now that the end does not justify the means."

"What now?" she asked.

"I'll take Nikki home first. I'm sure; you don't want to take care of her anymore. And Mike will be so busy taking care of her ex-wife. Tina was banged up pretty badly, according to him. He said it was just a miracle that she survived the plane crash. Tina has no parents anymore and an only child so probably Mike will help her for awhile. He is that kind of guy, you know. Taking care of Nikki is the least I could do after turning your lives upside down."

"But I thought your son has a ... Oh!" she didn't continue her sentence. She's certain Rachel lied about that so she could take care of Nikki.

She looked at Nikki. She had to admit she had grown fond of the child. But it'll hurt too much if she continues taking care of her. The baby would remind her so much of her father. "You're right, you know," she said.

"Where?" Rachel asked.

"I really need to see what I'm missing in my life. I realized now that I want to have a family of my own. Thanks for making me see that. What if I just realize that when I'm menopausal and don't have the chance to have a baby?"

"Maybe you're just saying that so I won't be that guilty."

"Of course not. After that stupid stunt you pulled, you deserve to suffer. I meant what I said. And you're right, maybe I was too afraid after what happened to me and Puck so I am scared of falling in love again. But after experiencing what it's like to have a child, I saw how empty my life had been."

"Is this mean, you're going to find someone to marry?"

"I'm not going to be desperate in finding one. Let's just say that my mind is not closed to the possibility of settling down anymore."

When she was saying that, as if her temptation is playing spirit that she pictured Mike. She had been imagining him in the role of her husband for quite a while now that it was so easy to think of him as one of the possible candidates. But then, she remembered his part in the deception and a spark of anger flared in her heart. Yes, Rachel forced him. But it doesn't mean that he has the rights to seduce her.

_Hypocrite! _Her mind said. _You were a willing participant, you know._

_I didn't know he was just fooling me, _she reasoned.

She also thought about Tina. She needs Mike. Who would say that love won't blossom between the two the second time around?

"Quinn, are you okay?" When Rachel patted her in her arm, that when she remembered that she was speaking to someone.

"Y-yeah. W-When are you going to get Nikki?" she asked.

"Anytime you say so. Even now, if you want."

She glanced again at Nikki. Her eyes started to mist when she thought about the possibility that she won't see her anymore when Mike takes her. _Just have one of your own,_ she comforted herself. "G-go ahead, you take her with you when you leave, Rachel," she said. She blinks a couple of times to stop herself from crying. "Oh, and I have a favour to ask from you," she added.

"Sure. Anything."

"Please tell Mike not to contact me."

"But I already told you, it's not his fault."

"Just do it, please? I don't want to see him or speak to him again."

"But why? The guy would want to explain. And it's better if the explanation will come from him."

"There is nothing he can say that would make me want to be with him again, so why bother?"

"Oh, no!" she covered her mouth with her hand.

"What?" she furrowed her eyebrows.

"You've fallen for him, haven't you?"

"Of course not!" she may be tied upside-down, but she will not admit that, especially now. "I'm just angry at people who betrayed me. And he did it so gleefully, I'm sure."

"Mike is not that type of person."

"Oh, yeah? Then tell me what kind of person would let somebody borrow his baby?"

"Mike knows me so he knows Nikki won't be harm. Besides, I told you, I just forced him until – "

"Whatever." She waved her hand. "I just don't want to have any communication with him, that's all. As far as I'm concerned, the chapter of my life with him already ended. Besides, he has his hands full right now with his wife and – "

"Ex-wife," she corrected her.

"Whatever," she repeated. "You owe me, Rachel. Do this for me and we're even. Just tell him to don't even try to speak to me. What's so hard about that?"

"Okay, fine. If that's what you want." It's visible in her voice that she doesn't agree from what she wants to happen but she seems constrained that she just oblige.

* * *

**A/N: **TA-DAH! Rachel's busted and Mike get a bitch-slap.. oh-oh! So this story will going to have one last chapter and an epilogue. I promise to update as fast I can.

Reviews are awesome :D


	8. Feels like Déjá vu!

**A/N: **Hi ! I apologize for the long wait of this chapter. Well, I broke my promise to you coz I was so busy at my study and I don't have an available time to write this so I'm sorry.

Here's the last chapter and then I'll post the epilogue next. I don't know when coz I'm still kinda busy but I'll try my best to update as quickly as I can.

Oh, and Quinn's friend Tina and Mike's ex-wife Tina are not the same. They just have the same name but they are not the same person. Sorry if you got confused.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of this at all. This is purely for fun and entertainment. Enjoy!

* * *

The house felt so empty and so quiet after Rachel left with the child. Quinn was been on that apartment for so long but it's confusing to know how quiet the place is. And she just realized how bored she is.

Because of that, she gets back from work the next day. Her friends immediately ask her where she went and they were all amazed when she said that she just stayed home.

"I just want to recover some sleep," she said.

"Then why do you look as if you need sleep now more than when you started your vacation?" Tina asked.

"I had a rough night. It seems like ... like I don't want to go back to work yet," she searched for a reason.

She threw herself at her work. They say that being busy is the perfect solution for a broken heart. Besides, she's been workaholic ever since. She'll get sick if she didn't go to work. And she did find excitement and fulfilment in her job. But it seems she finds her work different when she get back to it. It didn't seem as exciting as before.

If before, she enjoys plotting a financial plan that will bring a great profit to her client, now, she is having difficulties doing it. If before she finds predicting interests to an investment challenging, now, she's getting irritated at what she's doing. She had changed in many ways. She still liked the idea of working and earning her own money. She can't imagine herself being dependent to a guy for her living. But she now acknowledged the fact that she longed to have a family of her own. If only she could find a guy. What Rachel said is right. She's not short having admirers. But only a particular guy passed her taste – Mike.

_Hah! In your dreams!_

Her tears make her eyes blurred in vision when she remembered the last time she and Rachel talk. Rachel called her two days after the whole revelation. In the background she could hear Nikki's laughter. She was surprised at the bereavement that covers her. She never tried visiting the child. She already missed her as it was. If she'll see her, she felt like she will just be sadder.

After Mike took the child back home with him, she would most probably never see her again. So the more she gets used in not seeing her, the better. But the sound of the baby's laughter was like a giant fist that squeezed tightly at her heart. She remembered the conversation she had with Rachel.

_"How are you?"_

_ "Fine. I'm back in the saddle and it feels great. Just exactly what I need. I missed working, you know. Maybe, the next vacation I'll have is ten years from now." She tried to make her voice happy._

_ "It's great to hear that there's no lasting damage from all the things I've done."_

_ "Don't think about that anymore. I'll already forget it. How about you? What's up?"_

_ "I'm good."_

_ "Wait, if you're working, who's looking after Nikki? I would have thought she's back home with her d-dad by now."_

_ "Mike already took her yesterday."_

_ "That means her wife is okay now?"_

_ "Ex-wife," Rachel corrected. "And yes, Tina's okay. She got out from the ICU and she's just getting herself better at the hospital suite where she was transferred. Mike hired a private nurse to look after her. She will still have a nurse that will look after her until she gets home. But of course, he will still be there for her. That why I said to him that it's fine that I should look after Nikki for awhile. The kids are getting fond of her, even Finn. Having a baby girl in the house is different for them. I'm on vacation. Like you, I have my own vacation time. I'm spending all of it now."_

_ "I see." She stopped. She wanted to ask about Mike but she stops herself. "W-where will Nikki go after her ... mommy gets better?" she asked casually._

_ "I think..." she trailed off. "I think she and Mike are ... are thinking of trying to make another go of their marriage."_

_ Her heart seemed to suddenly shatter into tiny pieces. "R-really?" she tried to make her voice strong still._

_ "According to Mike, Tina realized everything after her accident. She nearly lost her life, you know. Maybe because of that, she has a different vision of her life. She want her family back."_

_ "W-what about Mike?"_

_ "Well, Mike is an old-fashioned guy. He strongly believes that it's better for a child to grow up with a complete family. But let me make this clear. They are just going to try. Their decision isn't final."_

_ "Don't care if it is. It's better for Nikki if her parents will get back together."_

_ "I am really very sorry."_

_ "What for?"_

_ "I screwed up and – "_

_ "Enough already." She said. She laughs at her to make it more like a shout. "For the nth time, I'll repeat, it's okay. I'm not interested in Mike the way you think I am, so if he's marrying his wife again, good for him." She said her goodbyes to her after saying that. She couldn't stand the agony any longer. She might start crying if she continues talking to her. She may even found out that she was just faking to be okay after what she heard._

* * *

Quinn glanced at the clock on the top of her bedside table. It's 2 in the morning. She grunted. It means, she's been stirring and turning on her bed trying to sleep for almost two hours.

_Serves you right!_

Sugar and her friends invited her to a music lounge. It was a Friday and it was usually the time when she and her friends partied till the wee hours of the morning. If she was the older Quinn, she might just be going home from work. But she was not in the mood to get out so she didn't join them and instead, she said that she has other plans.

It's been so long since she went out. Before, she was always joining her friends. But even the partying seemed to have lost its appeal for her. She felt like she's wasting her energy, money and time going to places that only giving her artificial happiness.

It's okay for her to go out from time to time but not almost every week she's been at different clubs till dawn.

She went straight home after work and tried to catch up on her many chores. She had a quiet dinner and then she went to bed after watching some movies on video. But how can she sleep if every night she's been turning from her bed just to fall asleep? Maybe it's much better if she just went out and party.

As she lay in bed, she couldn't stop herself from imagining what it would be like to have a warm body next to her. And she can't stop herself from imagining that Mike owns the body next to her.

_You're going nuts, you know that? Why can't you get it through your thick skull that it is impossible for him to be a part of your life? That chapter is already finished. Learn from it and move on already._

She took the huge pillow and covered her face roughly. She closes her eyes and tried to remove from her mind all that worry. She's determined to fall asleep that even any images popped into her head, she didn't entertain it. Still, she felt the warm tickle of tears wet her pillow. She can't stop it from falling. How many times did she sleep from crying? She cried for her lost dreams. She's crying from being an idiot, too. That night was no different from the others. She fell asleep with tears soaking her pillow.

She fell asleep late and from the looks of it, she also cried so maybe that's the reason why she has a headache when she opened her eyes. Or maybe it's because it's too early for her to wake up. She felt like she hadn't even fall asleep.

She looks at the time. Six in the morning. Why did she wake up that early?

And then she heard it, the sound that probably roused her from her restless sleep. She furrowed her eyebrows. Is it just her imagination? Or maybe there is someone already occupied the apartment next to hers. They maybe have children. The loud cry of the baby is her guess why she was disturbed from her sleep.

_Drats!_ She searched for the pillow and covered her two ears. But she could still hear the baby cry. It might be even becomes louder. _Seriously? _It's not her just the disturbance of her sleepshe's getting mad at. The sound reminded her so much of that time when Nikki was still living with her. In fact, the cries sounded so much like Nikki's. She suddenly remembered the time when Nikki arrived at her house.

She cursed and get up from her bed stomping her feet. It's impossible for her to fall asleep again. Not with that entire racket. From her bed, she walks to the living room. It seems like she was glued to the floor when she saw the scene in her living room. Mike is sitting on the couch, holding the crying Nikki in his arms.

She rubbed her eyes. It seems like she's hallucinating due to lack of sleep. Her imagination is going wild. She expected when she opened her eyes, she will found an empty couch. But Mike and Nikki were still there. And maybe it's not her imagination anymore that is making all that deafening cries.

"I'm sorry if we just let ourselves in," Mike said, and then stood. "I've been knocking for long and you seem not to hear it. I have Rachel's key to your apartment. I forced her to let me borrow it. I would use it if I have to, I told myself. If you're not going to let me in, I'm going to use it and tried to explain to you. But I never got the nerve to push through my plans. But I always have it. It's better that I do. Because Nikki might wake all the people living in here if I don't have a key.

She stayed gaping at him. As if she's still not convinced that he's standing in front of her.

"I also apologize if we get in here this early. I-I didn't plan this actually. I was taking Nikki out for a drive to buy breakfast but before I realized what I was doing, I was in front of this apartment building.

"I'm sure, Tina's waiting for you." When she remembered about the woman, she suddenly have her skill to speak.

"She was still asleep when we left. But I left her a note."

She swallowed. He confirmed that they were going to at the same roof again from what he just said. "What do you want?" Because of that, her voice becomes cold.

"You."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I want you, Quinn."

"Are you crazy?"

"I missed you like hell. And even Nikki seems to be like that, too."

Her lip quivers as she stares at the child. She already stopped crying and now, she is just staring at her, as if recognizing her. Then the child smiled. "Baby..." She can't take it anymore. She laid her hand to her. She came to her immediately. She holds her tightly. "You grow heavier," she noticed.

The child made some cooing sounds. She started peppering her head with kisses. How she missed the warmth of that tiny body, the sweet baby scent of it, its welcome weight. That's why as if it was stab in her heart the memories that she just can't enjoy holding her and kissing her because she was not hers. Any minute, she'll go. Reluctantly, she returned the baby to her father.

"See, I told you she missed you," Mike said.

"Stop playing games with me!" she shouts at him.

"Who is playing games? I'm being honest, that's all,"

"Honest? You think Rachel and I were not speaking to each other. Lately, she just said to me that you and Tina re trying to be together again."

"I'm not denying that. I really tried getting along with her. It didn't work out. The reason on why we separated was still there. Maybe we're just not compatible. Whatever the reason, we both realized it would not be fair to us and to Nikki to force ourselves to live together. I have to admit, the fact that there is somebody else in my heart now must have made all the difference. It's you, you're in my heart."

"Mike, I – "

"No let me finish, I granted your choice to not speak to you so I can explain. If you noticed, I didn't even go to my apartment. I respected your wishes even if it was killing me not to be given the chance to air my side. But I also think that it's your right to say to me to not bother you. Everything was such a mess for me back then. Tina was badly injured and even if we had already gone our separate ways, she used to be my wife and in a way I still felt responsible for her. Especially now that she had no one."

"She talked to me after she started to recover. She said that being in the brink of death changed her perspective. If before it was her career, money and independence that was important to her, when she had her accident, she realized the importance of family. She wanted to try again for our baby's sake. I granted that for her. I wanted to say to myself someday that I tried to fix our relationship. But it seems we have grown so far apart that we don't have that much in common anymore. I still watched over her. I feel it was my responsibility to do so. But when she finally recovers, I talk to her about the two of us."

"It turned out that she has reached the same conclusion, that maybe we are not really meant for each other. She said it might be better if we keep our marriage divorced. I agreed and she would be moving out of my house in a day or so. She'll go home to the place she's staying in and maybe start to work again." He looked at her suddenly. "I never got the chance to say I'm sorry. I swear, I never wanted to lie to you. And the more I got to know you, the more I felt guilty."

"What were you thinking anyway?" she exclaimed angrily. "You and Rachel used Nikki as props."

"I know that my daughter is in safe hands. Not once during the whole exercise was she in any danger."

"Not in any danger? I know nothing about taking care of a baby, for heaven's sake! You're too confident to place the baby in my hands," she protested.

"I was just nearby, remember? If there was no available unit next to yours, if ever I didn't bought it and I didn't get to look after Nikki, there's no way I'd agree to Rachel's suggestion. I don't think she would have asked such a favour from me, too, if it would mean putting mu child at risk. I was there when she got sick. Rachel called me after you two talked. I rushed right over."

"Didn't you even think that Nikki might be traumatized from being away from you?"

"Nikki is a very sociable baby. Even when she's still with Tina, she was left with anyone. That's the reason why I wanted her to be with me permanently. And like I've said, I am just nest door. I can easily look after her."

"Why did you agree to do it?"

"Actually, I'm not so sure myself. Maybe the reasons are all mixed. One, Rachel is very importunate. Two, I was tempted to change your perspective in life. I have to admit, you seemed like a pathetic feminist to me at first. And three, well, I needed a little excitement in my life at that time, I guess. It had been a difficult year for me. The limit of that is when my divorce with Tina has been finalized. Even if we realized we don't love each other the way a husband and wife should, dissolving the marriage is like admitting failure. That's where I'm not comfortable. Anyway, I'm glad I agreed. If I didn't, you and I would not meet each other. And I would never know what it's like to fall in love again.

"I felt so guilty, you know. I don't like lying to you. But you were starting to do so well with the baby. I don't want to suddenly destroy the satisfaction that you are starting to feel. I also didn't intend to take you to bed. At least, not without telling you about my real identity. But I can't control myself. And then, when I was about to tell you everything, the phone rang and I received the news about Tina's accident."

She just nodded. She remembered how hard he requested her to not judge him. But she was just too damn mad at being made a fool of and later on, she was so heartbroken by the idea that he had someone in his life that she didn't want to have anything to do with him anymore.

But she has to admit, it's been like hell when he's not with her. Even if how many times she told to herself that she can live without him, she can feel the strong grief cause by that idea. In fact, the future seemed to stretch out before her, barren and devoid of happiness because she thought he would not be a part of it anymore.

"I love you, Quinn and I need you in my life. Are you willing to be a part of my tomorrow? Mine and Nikki's?"

She didn't even have to think about her answer to him. A future with him and Nikki was something she had longed for and thought would never have. Did she have to decline the chance that was given for her?

Her eyes sparkling with unshed tears she rushed to him and hugged him tight. He reciprocated her embrace. They just let go when Nikki grunted, when she was stuck between them.

"Baby, meet your new mommy," Mike said. "May she stay with us for the rest of our lives."

"I might even consider dying instead of living without the two of you," She said. And she meant every word she said.

* * *

**A/N: **And then there's the happy ever after ! Yay ! Thanks for all the people who read this and for the Alerts, Favorites and Follow .. I love you to death :D

Reviews are awesome :)


	9. Epilogue

**A/N: **And finally the epilogue has arrive. First of all, I want to say thank you so, so, so much for all the people who followed this story, put it on their alert, making it their favorites. I'm so thankful that you guys read this. I don't know when will I start to write again coz I think this still sucks but you guys still enjoyed it somehow so thanks a bunch !

Now, enough of me, here's the final chapter and hope you still enjoy this though it's short.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything. Just for fun and entertainment.

* * *

The loud cry of a baby woke Quinn up from her sleep. She opened her eyes. She found a dim light but it was enough to spot a figure sitting on the rocking chair.

"Sleep, my darling baby. Daddy's not so far away ... " the movement of the chair is smoothly followed by Mike's gentle lullaby.

A warm feeling descended over her. She just gave birth to Noah a few weeks ago. Since then, Mike has been the one in charge to his night feeding. She was breast-feeding her baby but there were times she used to pump to express her milk. She'll put it in a bottle and stored it in the fridge. When it was time for Noah to feed at night, the bottle is just being warmed up at the bottle warmer. In that way, her sleep will not be disturbed according to Mike.

Her whole life since the time she married Mike over two years ago seemed like a very wonderful dream. For the wedding, her parents and her brother came home, making the occasion a truly joyous one for her. Her siblings, nieces and nephews also came. Thanks for her meddling best friend. She would not be that happy if it weren't for Rachel. She would never realize she was missing one of the best parts of life.

It was hard to imagine now what it would be like to live her life alone. She almost didn't experience what it was like to be a bride. She almost didn't experience the great happiness that she felt when she walk down the aisle and at the end of it, in front of the altar, the man that she loves was waiting for her.

Being carefree and single had its moments. It was also an alternative experience. She's not saying that getting married and having a family is the only thing that will make a woman happy. The life will also be happy even if you don't have a husband. The thing was, she was rejecting the thought of loving someone just because she was afraid of loving again. She's just thankful that there is someone like Rachel who entered her private life.

Of course, Rachel was going to be the godmother of Noah. Even when she was just carrying him inside her belly, she was already planning for their child's christening. She will finally prepare for that after she regains her strength.

Mike rose up from the chair. Noah must already asleep. Before he put the baby in the bassinet where it was temporarily put in the master's bedroom, she saw him kissing the baby's forehead first.

The nursery was adjacent from their room. It was beside Nikki's room who's now three years old.

She felt like she can't hope for anything anymore. She had two wonderful kids and an equally wonderful husband. She continued working even after she got married. But she had cut back on her hours. It seemed like she can't stand to be far away from her family too long. She loves them very much. That was her thinking when Mike turned to her.

"Oh, did Noah wake you?" he asked.

"It's okay. I rested for a whole week. I'm strong enough." She said.

He stooped down and gave her a kiss. "Not strong enough." She already guessed what he's thinking by his playful smirk. "I can hardly wait to make you mine again," he muttered, making his voice husky.

"Just a few more weeks. And if it's any consolation, waiting has been a torture for me, too."

"Just wait. We will make it worth the wait," he said and recaptured her lips again.

Hugging him tight, she uttered a silent prayer of thanksgiving.

END.

* * *

**A/N: **Again, thanks for reading this !


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